Groups fail to back claims
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by Miles Brignall The Institutes of Logistics Se, Transport (IoLT) and Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) failed to offer any new evidence when they appeared before the Transport Select Committee's Investigation into the competitiveness of UK road haulage.
The two groups appeared before the all-party group of MPs at its third hearing of evidence from invited interested parties, along with representatives from the railfreight sector.
However, despite repeated requests, their represent tives were unable to pray evidence to support claii they had made to the comm tee in written submissions.
Asked by committee cha man Gwyneth Dunwoc whether the UK's logist industry was the "most ef dent in the world", David Lin representing the loLT, agrc that it was. But neither he r loLT chief executive Grail; Ewer could say how they quci tified "efficiency".
Asked about the cost upgrading bridges across 1 UK to allow the general use 44-tonne trucks. neither ! of witnesses could come with an estimate.
They were also unable tel the committee how many op( ators had flagged out, but si gested that this process t run into legal difficulties, wh was why more operators t not taken advantage of chea; VED elsewhere in the EU.
The loll expressed suppr for the "Britdisc" schen under which all operatr would be charged to use 1 UK motorway network. A the IME backed a gradual VED scheme to encourage 1 use of greener trucks.
The rail-freight represc tatives told the commitl that road freight was still a paying around 75% of its co and that moving freight by r was eight times less harm to the environment.