BIRD'S EYE VIEW BY THE HAWK
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• How rude those paparazzi from the national newspapers are compared with the gentlemen and lady scribes of the trade press. Ai' a recent Volkswagen environmental conference, one of the Hawk's colleagues was shocked to hear a burly photographer bawl at a bystander to "gerrouratheway" as he was slightly impeding the view of VW's showpiece Futura concept vehicle. An embarrassed VW PR man quickly pointed out to the rude lensman that the chap in the way was Richard Ide, managing director of VW in Britain and former boss of MAN. He expected an apology. Instead he got a who-do-you-think-you'retalking-to scowl.
• A fire which destroyed two exhibition halls in Harrogate is causing problems for the town fathers. The Yorkshire resort stages the Road Haulage Association's Tipcon and many of Britain's other big conferences and exhibitions, and now the council is hurriedly trying to find alternative locations for several of the events which bring in much of Harrogate's revenue. • For sale: recently converted bus station. Prime town centre location. Price: 21. Condition: it must only be used for PSVs.
Amber Valley District Council in Derbyshire is selling its bus station to the county council for a knock-down price of 21. The reason is that the smaller authority cannot afford the 21,300-plus rates it currently pays itself.
• A North-East haulier who was a bit too enthusiastic in his sales techniques ended up undercutting himself.
The operator was furious when, driving past the depot of a large potential customer, he spied the trucks of two of his competitors.
He decided to confront the company's managing director and offer to do whatever work was on the go at a lower rate. "Whatever you're paying them," he promised "I'll do it for 10% less." The surprised, but grateful boss gave him a substantial contract on the spot.
The haulier rushed back to give the good news to his transport manager, only to be told that his firm already worked for that customer. • Robert Atkins gave what could have been his swansong interview as Roads and Traffic Minister to Commercial Motor three days before taking up his new job as Minister of Sport. His move does nothing to dispel the image of the Department of Transport as a spring board for politicians on the way up, or a last staging post for those on the way out. Atkins was just over a year at the DTp. Michael Portal°, another rising star, had an even briefer soujourn. Secretary of State Cecil Parkinson has missed a few promotion chances and looks to have reached the end of his line. His predecessor Paul Channon was demoted twice to transport and then sacked. And poor Peter Bottomley, erstwhile Roads and Traffic Minister, has been dropped from the Government.
Who can blame the trade associations when they accuse the Government of not giving enough priority to transport?