Associations play it cool on referendum
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BRITAIN'S road transport trade associations are playing it cool towards the Government's plans for a referendum on the Common Market issue. When CM asked the Road Haulage Association, Freight Transport Association and the Confederation of British Road Passenger Transport for their views on the matter recently, none was prepared to commit itself. Spokesmen for the three bodies indicated that a neutral stance would be adopted.
However, though none of the bodies seems likely to issue members with firm advice on how to vote, all are basically in favour of staying in the market. A spokesman for the RHA told CM that the customers of Association members were in favour of membership which automatically dictated the RHA's views. The RHA was a member of the Confederation of British Industry, which is actively campaigning for a "Yes" vote and the Association would support that line. The RHA spokesman declared that its backing of the basic principle of membership was not affected by reservations on detailed points, like tachographs and drivers' hours.
The same line was taken at the FTA. A recent editorial in Freight, summed up the Association's view: "We believe that we should be in Europe, not because of, but despite the common transport policy." A spokesman indicated that, while the Association expected to take no active part in the pre-referendum campaign, its position was made clear in the editorial.
A spokesman for the newly formed Confederation said that it "had no policy" towards the referendum. But he confirmed that the Confederation would be taking whatever action was necessary on EEC matters in the meantime. The body will remain neutral during the campaign but can be assumed to be basically pro-Europe from its past record.