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From the horse's mouth
Page 14
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The government's transport committee has been briefed on the
leeds of the freight industry in the UK Roanna Avison reports.
THE TRANSPORT Select 7ommittee has heard evidence rom the UK freight industry is it considers what the ;overnment should do to meet he industry's needs.
The Freight Transport kssociation (FTA ), the Road iaulage Association (RHA), he Institution of Highways and 7ransportation, Heriot-Watt Jniversity and others have all xpressed their concerns to MPs. Professor Alan McKinnon rom Heriot-Watt University told he committee the government hould intervene in the freight ector. While complimenting the overnment on its sustainable istribution strategy, he suggested hat it should incentivise best ractice in terms of factors such as lel efficiency.
McKinnon also called for tore state investment in port ifrastructure as the amount of -eight entering the country via the is likely to increase.
Mike Slinn, president of le Institution of Highways nd Transportation. said the Dvernment should consider ways to improve road safety, including foreign vehicles using the UK's roads. He suggested the UK should work more closely with its EU partners in sharing information about drivers and operators.
The committee asked if a lorry road user charge was an option in the UK. but Slinn suggested there was a strong case for road pricing for all vehicles rather than just trucks, and McKinnon cited a low-tech lorry charge as a more viable option.
RHA chief executive Roger King said the government could not impose a lorry road user charge without a fuel rebate system fort JK hauliers. And James Hookham, MD of policy and communication at the FTA, stressed the need for the government to find a way to tax fuel used by the freight sector differently from the diesel used by private motorists.
Chris Welsh. general manager of campaigns at the ETA, says the government needs to invest in specific parts of the network otherwise congestion will get much worse. He highlighted the ports, main arteries, motorways and rail networks as key areas Ibr investment.
Jack Semple, RH A director of policy, expressed the association's disappointment that the graduated fixed penalty scheme, which was due to come into force this spring, has been postponed until 2009. He warned that in its absence there would continue to be inadequate control of foreignregistered trucks.
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