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WE'RE DROWNING IN FUDGI
Page 9
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As the UK's arteries beconi clogged with congestion an overseas hauliers take ove the UK's imports and expo our lords and masters in parliament seem content b prevaricate and score poin
FUDGE! I am surrounded by it, a thick, glutinous morass. And I kn who's responsible. Its not the nice lady I know in Kent who earns a respectable living making the stuff to sell at boot fairs and WI meet No, it's an august body of 659 Westminster-based members that's responsible for this mess. There's a problem, though. ApproximatE half of these 'decisior makers' belong to opposed parties. As a result they spend so much of their working time stabbing each 0th in the back, bickering, point scoring and engaging in general oneupmanship that none of the vital issues that affect us ever seems to be resolved. Everyhing feels, well, fudged.
As we stand today, Tone and his New Labour munchkins have an amazing majority of at least 157. Surely this should make the decision-making process a bit easier? Nope; even a. personal minister, Alastair Darling, is minister for transport AND Scotland, so clearly we're receiving his full attention...
Road transport is the lifeblood of the UK's consumer-led econc I know we don't manufacture much these days, but we still consi. a hell of a lot, and it all arrives by truck. As readers of Commercia Motor we all know this; it's a pity the MPs, who rarely seem to vent outside the Capital, co not appear to appreciate our importance. Every fudged decision impacts on our bottom line and the list se endless, from five years of Prescott's ill-conceived 'Hate the Moto campaign to the sticky mess of Lorry Road User Charging. Anyo who uses the M20 regularly can see that this should have been introduced years ago. It might have saved some of our Continent carriers from death by a thousand (tax) cuts. For those of you whc not know the M20, it is the main corridor to Europe and beyond, a at certain times carries 100% foreign registered trucks. Scary!
So what can we do to, as it were, de-fudge life? The DfT know: are prone to blow hot and cold and then retreat into our own fudg FTA and RHA contradictions (a bitter-sweet concoction at the be times). However, I suggest that each and every one of us who rur trucks should lobby our respective MPs with our concerns. Give I Westminster-dwelling fudge-furnishers something to think about!
Your MP can be identified on the official web-site www.parliament.uk so get writing now and let's make a concertec effort to stop them fudging up our industry.
"Even our personal mini Alastair Darling, is min' transport AND Scotland we're receiving his full