Ex-DoE man joins Young Libs' campaign
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We're going ahead with anti-lorry action, Peter Hain tells CM
• The Young Liberals have recruited the services of a retired DoE vehicle examiner from the South Eastern traffic area to assist them in their campaign against heavy goods vehicles. Mr Peter Hain, former chairman and a member of the Young Liberals executive, told CM this week that reports circulating that the campaign might be abandoned were wrong. "We will be going ahead", he said.
How well equipped were the campaigners to carry out their acts of sabotage? "Not at all equipped", said Mr Hain; but he then revealed that the former vehicle examiner, who had worked for the DoE in Kent, had offered his services.
Reports earlier in the week had suggested that the campaign would not involve the immobilization of vehicles. Mr Hain said that this was not the case, but added: "We reject the use of the word 'sabotage' which is emotive". He said that sabotage implied personal injury and it was not the campaigners' intention to cause injury to anyone.
When and where will the campaign start?
"Ah, well", said Mr Hain, "within a month in Kent — but we do not want to say exactly."
At a meeting of the national officers in Oxford last weekend the Young Liberals decided to seek legal advice on kmoke levels and weight limits. On technical aspects Mr Hain (who was not present at Oxford) appeared confused. Why had they decided to "attack" foreign vehicles? "They are easily identifiable and are both bigger and heavier than British vehicles," he said. He was surprised when told that, when in Britain, Continental vehicles were required to operate at 32 tons gvw.
But his reaction was quick: "We have never said that these vehicles are our exclusive target." He went on to point out that home-based vehicles could also receive attention but that Continentals would be the main target.
Following the Oxford meeting the Young Liberals' chairman, Miss Ruth Addison, issued a statement which confirmed that the non-violent campaign would go on.
"I was not present at Oxford". said Mr Hain, "but this is the statement:—" "We will not be diverted from taking non-violent direct action against heavy lorries by the smear campaign and criticisms from such quarters as the Road Haulage Association. We are obtaining counsel's advice as to the full range of safety checks, for example weight limits, excessive noise, and the emission of fumes from heavy lorries and what action can be taken against lorries which are clearly unsafe.
"We do not reject illegal means of direct action where other methods have failed and are prepared to act outside the law with community support in certain situations.
"Indeed, we have considerable experience of this kind of action, often with success. We will not, as has been suggested, take action in any situation which might endanger lives.
"We believe there is a strong feeling against heavy lorries among the Liberal Party and, indeed, the general public, which it is our aim to harness into concrete political action. Our campaign has already brought about public debate on this issue and has pressurized the Liberal Party into starting its own campaign against the juggernauts.
"We believe that the only long-term solution to the problem of heavy lorries is a revision of the present methods of handling freight, including a considerable expansion of the railway and canal systems. Our campaign will be directed towards these ends."
Where will the lorries be immobilized? According to Mr Hain, the Young Liberals will go into action when drivers are at rest in lay-bys or transport cafes or when a vehicle is stationary at traffic lights.
A spokesman from the chairman's office in Manchester said that ratification of the executive's plans would be sought at Newcastle upon Tyne this weekend when the council meets. Two delegates from each of the Young Liberal branches have been invited to attend the meeting, "and although we will be discusing education and Maplin, to which we are also opposed, we expect that this issue will bring out a full turnout " .
The spokesman went on to say that there was no question of obtaining instant legal advice. "We are going for a QC or someone of near that calibre and it will be difficult to get such a person inside a month," he added.
RHA protests sharply There had been sharp reaction earlier in the week from the Road Haulage Association concerning the campaign. "Whatever assurances are given to the contrary by Mr Hain, anyone who tampers with a vehicle is putting the driver and other road users at risk and is himself liable to prosecution," said a spokesman for the RHA. The Association suggested that the Young Liberals would be better employed lending their weight to more positive solutions to the country's transport problems.
Fortuitously, the RHA and the British Insurance Association launched a campaign this week warning drivers of French vehicles about the dangers of hijacking. The warnings are published in French and urge the drivers to watch out for lorry thieves. While the Young Liberals are not suggesting that they become involved in hijacking, the extra vigilance which the anti-hijacking campaign will encourage may help to scotch any attemps at immobilization. There are already 15,000 copies of the warnings published in German. They point out the dangers of leaving vehicles unattended and of stopping regularly at the same time and place for meal breaks. Drivers are also asked to report to the police any suspicious incident which comes to their notice.