R.H.A. Policy on the Future of Road Haulage
Page 32
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
nENATIONALIZAT1ON of road
haulage would best be carried out in stages, according to a statement of policy issued by the Road Haulage Association.
First, says the R.H.A.. acquisitions of road haulage undertakings should cease, the 25-mile radius limit should be abolished and the British Transport Commission should be subjected to the licensing system.
Later, vehicles already acquired should be offered back to free enterprise, if possible to the former owners.
* Operators whose businesses are no longer recognizable as separate units should be offered an approximately equivalent interest. The remainder of the nationalized road haulage undertaking should be made available in units first to member:. of the industry and afterwards to outside interests. There should be safeguards against the growth of anything approaching a national or local monopoly.
These proposals are in line with the policy of the Conservative, Liberal and National Liberal Parties. The R.H.A. also says that the Observ-ance of new standards and obligations might be offered as an alternative to the present licensing system, which was not sought by the road haulage industry, and in some respects has resulted in too great a measure of restriction.
The special problems of the railways should be tackled without handicapping unnecessarily other efficient forms of transport, to the disadvantage of trade and industry.
Government departments, local authorities and nationalized industries should be discouraged from establishing large fleets at public expense.
The unfair burden of taxation on road users should be eased, and urgent consideration should be given to improving the condition of the roads. Adequate supplies of new vehicles and of fuel should be ensured foi. the road transport industry.
These points of policy are contained in a booklet (printed in blue) that the R.H.A. is sending to each of its 19,000 members.