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Truck-free UK just
Page 6
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days from crisis Britain's economy would be devastated within a week without trucks, according to the latest Commercial Motor research. Emma Penny reports.
EXCLUSIVE!
BRITAIN WOULD be plunged into an economic and social crisis within days if trucks stopped running, according to research commissioned by Commercial Motor.
The report, by Heriot Watt logistics scientist Professor Alan McKinnon. is being released to coincide with next week's National Truck Week, a new CM initiative to show the public how vital our industry is to all of us.
McKinnon warns that daily life would begin to grind to a halt within a single day because Britain is now so dependent on trucks. He lists the dramatic impact on food and fuel supplies, schools, hospitals and manufacturing. Non essential surgery would be cancelled and thousands laid off as factories shut.
McKinnon's research is based solely on consistent buying patterns — the effects of truck stoppage would be intensified by panic buying.
"For the economy as a whole, the loss of road transport for a week would be devastating," says McKinnon "Road freight is the lifeblood of the national economy Without trucks to carry freight current standards of living could be maintained for only a few days."
He points to the disruption caused by the 2000 fuel protest as an indicator of disruption, but points out that not all trucks stopped work during the protest and most were back at work within three days, minimising disruption. The effects would be much worse if all trucks stopped running fora week.
Fresh food would run out in shops within a day. Cash machines would run out of money by the second day. Petrol rationing would be inevitable by day three.By the end of the week, Britain would be severely disrupted, leaving problems it would take weeks to resolve.
CM editor Andy Salter says: "If the public needed proof of the essential role this industry plays, then this research is a powerful statement of the facts" • See 'Life Without Trucks', page 26, or read the full report on our National Truck Week website, www.nationaltruckweek.com