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While we've been away

Recording some of the road transport events which have occurred since CM was last published, on October 30

departmental accounts, space utilization and planned maintenance, financial matters and credit control, and management information gystems. After each session members of the team, which was led by TASC manager Mr S. J. Rayfield, visited each company to follow up the classroom work.

During the assessment session, several course members said that while they valued the course, the personal visits to their firms had been rushed and of limited value. Nevertheless, typical results of the course, quoted by members, were that it had enabled the least profitable activities to be eliminated: it had encouraged the installation of Monthly profit and loss accounts; had promoted -activity samplingin workshops, towards higher productivity: had prompted an examination of storage costs and charges, which in one case had increased profitability quite strikingly; and it had given new confidence in quoting firmly based rates.

One executive. Mr C. King-Smith, of W. lnson and Son Ltd, Wellesbourne, said that the company had changed its method of invoicing to show more clearly the actual work done. As an exercise for one of the sessions he had also taken a particular 16-ton rigid and worked out some of the factors which would cause the total operating cost to rise by about 1 per cent. The result is shown here:—

Effect of cost increases on a 16-ton-gross lwb rigid. covering 30,000 miles per year The following will cause total operating costs to rise by about 1%: Depreciation. Increase in vehicle price of 7%: reduction in write-off period of half a year: reduction in chassis discount of 8%; increase in interest rates of 3%.

Road licence. Increase in taxation weight of 1 ton: increase in licence fee of 25%.

Comprehensive and goods in transit insurance. Increase in total premium of 40%.

Rent and Rates. Increase of 50%.

Wages. Increase in basic hourly rate of 3d: increase of 4 in number of ihours worked per week.

Fuel. Increase in fuel consumption of 1 mpg (worse): increase in tilei price of 50.

Tyres. increase in tyre price of E15.

Maintenance. Increase in total costs of 12%. Overheads. Increase in total overheads of 6%.

Too little research

The public sector spends Cl ,000m a year on transport and the annual investment in transport is 11 per cent of the nation's total, yet research and development in transport in the public sector amounted to only 0.7 per cent of the country's total research effort. This point was made by Mr John Peyton, Minister for Transport Industries, at the anniversary luncheon of the Institute of Transport on November 4.

Mr Peyton said he was surprised that an industry so concerned with mobility could be so unchanging, that few concerns made money from moving people and that there were some who failed to make money out of moving goods. He thought this odd in an island which imported half its food, nearly all its raw materials, and lived by its exports—in fact, where so much had to be moved.

Now 105 training groups

The RHA Essex Group Training Association marked its inauguration with an evening meeting at Chelmsford on November 4. It has 31 haulier members covering central, southern and eastern Essex. The chairman is Mr J. R. Day, of A. Day and Son Ltd.

The RTITB's divisional manager for Board training services, Mr J. W. Hilder, told the meeting that there were now 105 group training associations, 71 of them in haulage and offering 250 driver training places. By July next year he hoped the training places would have risen to 370, providing about 8800 drivers a year. Some of these were certain to be upgradings, not newcomers, and the real need was for 18,000 to 20,000 new drivers in road transport each year.

Mr Hilder hoped driver training could be extended to cover such things as roping and sheeting, to provide a fully trained professional truck driver.

Group training officer Mr Trevor Davies revealed that he was recruiting ex-service drivers and placing them with companies, and he told the 100-strong audience that hauliers must raise their driver selection standards, since some drivers found even the basic courses beyond their comprehension.

Boston and Wales

Two other training associations had inauguration ceremonies on November 6. Boston Road Haulage Training Group's centre at Kirton was opened on that day (the group of 14 companies has 261 vehicles and a workforce of 344) while at Newtown, Montgomeryshire, there took place the official send-off for the Mid-Wales Road Transport Group Training Association. Chairman is Mr J. E. Woodhouse, and the group has 15 companies with a staff of 320 operating 214 vehicles.

Hull hauliers expand

Major extensions to the York Street (Wincolmlee) premises of Edwards of Hull Ltd, haulage contractors and commercial vehicle repairers, were opened on November 6 by Mr Pat Paterson, managing director of the parent company, Ideal-Standard Ltd. This move is a part of a planned expansion in road haulage by Edwards of Hull, which has decided to establish transport depots throughout the UK including London, Newport, Mon, Wolverton, and the Potteries.

Continental connections with IdealStandard's associated companies in Europe are also being developed.

Warnings for own-account men

The hard facts of the new licensing system had not yet been fully grasped, Mr T. H. Campbell-Wardlaw, well-known advocate, told the 175 delegates at the Industrial Transport Association conference in Birmingham last month. And he foresaw that small hauliers would find great difficulty in surviving the licensing system and the trend towards large group working.

On the vetting of new applicants, Mr Wardlaw assured doubters that many Licensing Authorities were asking newcomers the amount of their bank balances, the extent of their mortgages and so on.

Hauliers had still not fully realized that they had lost the right of individual objection, he said, but he warned the statutory objectors to get their facts right and not be nebulous.

There was already evidence that the operators' licensing system would be tightening up, he suggested. Many more summonses were passing through his office, and he felt that successful prosecutions were likely to lead to Ministry examiners presenting evidence to the LA when application for variation or renewal was made. "Due diligence" was no longer a defence, and operators would now need to prove that proper instructions had been given to their servants. There were fewer loopholes in this Act than in previous ones.

In the discussion which followed, Mr Hugh Featherstone, FTA director, said that his Association would use its right of objection only in exceptional circumstances, because the LA would already have been supplied with all the information at the FTA's disposal.

Mr Featherstone, addressing the conference on professionalism in transport, said this would not be attained merely by producing a piece of paper which might be called a transport manager's licence. Many "Woeful Willies" believed that transport managers would never volunteer themselves for education and training, but he believed that a voluntary scheme, rather than a statutory one, was desirable for the registration of qualified transport managers. In the present changing climate, said the speaker, greater emphasis was needed on a man's managerial ability than on his transport knowledge. Answering a questioner, Mr Featherstone said he believed that management was becoming aware that, if the transport department had to be recognized as an equal with others in the boardroom, then transport managers would require professional qualification through education.

When Mr Frank Woodward, transport services executive of the Plessey Co Ltd, addressed the conference he argued that, since transport was an oncost, an own-account operator could never say that his transport department was working for a profit unless he became involved in the hire-and-reward field. Referring to the abolition of carriers' licensing, Mr. Woodward declared "December 1 should prove to be the finest day in the life of an industrial transport manager".

Transport departments must be well equipped in manpower and machines, said the speaker, who told the conference that in his company 0.8 per cent of the selling price of products was attributable to transport but he knew that at the other end of the scale it was costing some companies 42 per cent, Some delegates felt that Mr Woodward was fortunate in having an enlightened management, with which he agreed. But he asserted that where a manager was working for an unenlightened management it was his duty to enlighten them. "Knock on the boardroom door," he said, "and keep knocking on it until you make your point." Managers should not be afraid to present figures, make decisions and argue their case With the managing director, the chairman, the board or the shareholders. The time to worry was when a report had been accepted and a project authorized—when the truth of a manager's arguments would be tested in practice.

When one delegate suggested to Mr Woodward that he was preaching to the converted and should address his remarks to the boardroom, the speaker replied: "No, sir; that is your job. You yet your point across in the boardroom. After all, it is only a question of personality supporting facts."

Cutting noise and smoke

Draft regulations to reduce noise and exhaust emissions from heavy lorries are to be published shortly, Mr John Peyton, the Minister for Transport Industries, told the Commons last month.

One organization for removers?

The autumn conferences of BAOFR and NAFVVR on November 9 and 10 were concerned with proposals for unification. A tripartite committee consisting of elected officers of BAOFR, NAFVVR and the Institute of the Furniture Warehousing and Removing Industry has recommended to its constituent bodies that a unified organization would be in the best interests of the furniture removal industry. A working party has been set up, and proposals for unification are expected to be presented at next year's agm.

New TA members

At the Transport Association meeting in London on November 10, Humber Warehousing Co Ltd, Grimsby, was admitted as a member. (Humber recently acquired McVeigh Transport Ltd, a long-standing TA member.) Later in the month it was announced that Machins Transport (Surfleet) Ltd, Spalding, Lincs had also been admitted to membership.

Warnings for warehouse keepers

Delegates at the National Association of Warehouse Keepers convention on November 10 were advised during a lecture on security to make an annual reappraisal of their security measures to take account of changing trends in trade, to vet staff thoroughly and to keep proper control over their reception and dispatch departments.

In another lecture, an fire protection, delegates were told that the cost of fires had increased fourfold since 1958: and the losses for 1980 were forecast at £320m.

A BRSL speaker, outlining his company's working, said that eventually operating districts would become subsidiary companies with district managers responsible, like managing directors, for their own destinies.

He mentioned a new service, available at present in only one area, providing express delivery for any item between any BRSL branches so long as it was delivered to one branch and collected from the other.

Tribunal registrar

Mr E. F. M. Maxwell retired as registrar to the Transport Tribunal on November 11, having held the post since 1946. He has been succeeded by Mr E. F. Callow, who also remains secretary. Miss P. E. Kennedy has been appointed assistant registrar and assistant secretary.

New N FC chairman

It was revealed on November 12 that Mr D. E. A. ("Dan") Pettit, 55, was to become part-time chairman of the National Freight Corporation on December 9 and full-time chairman for five years from January 1, 1971 at a salary of £17,000 a year. Mr Pettit, chairman of SPD Ltd, was formerly SPD personnel director and commercial director, having joined Unilever in 1948.

Mr G. W. Quick Smith, NFC chief executive, has had his term of appointment extended by six months from its official end on December 9 and becomes deputy chairman.

Mr Pettit succeeds Sir Reginald Wilson, whose appointment expired on December 9 and who has taken up a position as deputy chairman of the Transport ,Development Group Ltd.

Mr William Fraser continues as full-time executive chairman of TOG but from January 1 Mr J. B. Duncan moves up from deputy managing director to managing director,

Carriers' licensing ends

The repeal of carriers' licensing law was made effective by the Transport Act 1968 (Commencement No. 9) Order 1970 which was published last month and is obtainable from HMSO price 7d. The 13th and 14th schedules to the Road Traffic Act 1960 have been repealed, as have Sections 164 to 182 of the Act, there are other consequential amendments.

Under the Order, operators' licensing was extended to Post Office vehicles with effect from November 30 and to farmers' goods vehicles (on F excise licence) from March 1 next year.

Resistance to the way in which A, B and C licensing was ended came from several quarters. Mr T. W. Jackson, managing director of Key Warehousing and Transport Co Ltd,' Hull, withdrew his company and the associated McMasters (Haulage) Ltd from membership of the Road Haulage Association in protest against the RHA's endorsement of the ending of carriers' licensing.

The undemocratic and dictatorial" action of the RHA in condoning the abolition of carriers' licensing was condemned by Malton and Scarborough sub-area of the Association, which sent a resolution to the Yorkshire (Hull) area, for the attention of the national executive council expressing deep regret at the council's "complete and utter disregard fpr the interest of its members". It asked for assurance of future consultation at area level and warned that members were considering resigning.

On November 17 the RHA expressed concern that carriers' licensing for large vehicles was to be abolished so soon as December 1, since it felt that operators' licensing had not yet been made fully effective—and it was on this assumption that the RHA had supported abolition. The Association sent a memorandum to the Minister for Transport Industries detailing the ways in which it felt that 0 licensing should be made more effective.

Mobile noise checks?

The possibility that mobile testers would circulate round the test stations and, without warning, examine any vehicle due for test that day, was mentioned by Government spokesman Lord Mowbray and Stourton in the Lords last month. Several methods were, he said, being examined for a suitable noise check in the annual commercial vehicle test. The Department of the Environment hoped soon to consult with industry on proposed testing methods for lorry noise, but it would probably be a few months before exact details could be given.

British ECE chief

Mr Nigel Despicht has been appointed director of the transport division of the UN/ECE. Mr Despicht, who is 44, joined the Ministry of Transport in 1 951 and as well as heading several divisions he was the author of policy papers on transport in Europe.

Better roads for West

In the next five years, expenditure on roads in the West Country is to be more than doubled, Mr John Peyton told Yeovil Chamber of Trade last month. Among other schemes, the Spine Road from the southern end of M5 to Plymouth would be completed by 1975, providing a high-quality through route to the West Country via M5 and M4 from the Midlands and London.

Bedford sales

Mr Douglas Ball has been appointed manager, government and fleet sales, Vauxhall Motors Ltd. Supporting Mr Ball at the Luton fleet sales hq are Mr John Pugh (assistant manager), Mr Philip Green (manager, municipal sales), and Mr Kenneth Doggett (general supervisor, fleet administration).

Tighter standards

On November 12 the RHA proposed to the Minister for Transport Industries that claims supporting new applications for operators' licences should be more closely scrutinized, and that it should become a statutory obligation for a Licensing Authority to satisfy himself about an applicant's financial resources. It should, said the RNA, be at least as difficult to obtain a licence as to retain one. In a 16-point memorandum, the Association raised points on licensing and on drivers' hours, among them a request that any further hours cut should be accompanied by compulsory introduction of tachographs.

Licence cannot be shortened

It is not within the power of a Licensing Authority to shorten the term of an existing operator's licence. This was substantiated recently in a Transport Tribunal judgment on an appeal by James Scott Lyon, of Banchory, Kincardineshire.

The appeal was against the decision of the Scottish deputy LA to curtail the currency of Lyon's 0 licence to February 1972 instead of allowing it to run its full term to February 1975, also to remove the margin of one vehicle and to suspend for six months one of the four vehicles currently on the licence. These penalties had been imposed after an inspection of vehicles had resulted in one immediate and five delayed GV9s. At the subsequent enquiry, no evidence of a regular maintenance system was produced.

After the operator had given notice of appeal, the deputy LA noticed that under Section 92 (3) of the Transport Act 1968 he did not appear to have power to shorten the term of the licence, and the deputy LA notified the Tribunal and the operator of this.

The Tribunal concurred with this opinion. (Section 92 (3) of the Act defines curtailment as applying to removal of one or more of the specified vehicles, reducing the maximum number of vehicles or trailers specified in the licence, 'and removing permission for the addition of authorized vehicles.) While the Tribunal felt that the other penalties imposed were right in principle, the fact that part of the deputy LA's decision had. beenbad meant that the appeal must formally be allowed, and the decision would therefore be varied so as only to cut out the margin of one vehicle and to suspend one vehicle for six months.

IRTE and RHM

While Mr G. E. Liardet will serve for a third year as president of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers, Mr R. H. Duncalfe was confirmed as chairman of the council at the agm last month, He is group transport controller for RHM Foods Ltd. Vice-president is Mr A. Enticknap, treasurer Mr G. Scottorn and secretary Mr D. Grimster.

Pallet problems

Controversy almost to the point of acrimony arose at the annual conference of the Institute of Materials Handling last month when pallet sizes were discussed. Users complained that the common 48in. x 42in. pallet in metric form was being sold as 1200mm x 1000mm, but this was in fact slightly smaller—yet no price discounts had been offered. Most of the delegates agreed that there were too many pallet sizes, but again there was no consensus on the sizes which should be standardized.

Delegates expressed the need for, and a desire to participate in, a UK pallet pool but there was no news of any private or Government lead being given in the formation and financing of such a pool.

Revised Magirus

A full range of Magirus-Deutz normal-control tippers announced last month by KlocknerHumboldt-Deutz of Germany includes 4 x 2, 4 x 4 and 6 x 6 designs for gross weights between 12 and 26 tons. The main feature of the new vehicles which, like the latest forward-control types from the company are based on rationalized components, is a new cab which is more spacious than the previous design and has a very high standard of trim particularly for a vehicle designed for tipping work, There are in all 10 new models, 4 x 2 chassis consisting of 12-ton, 15-ton and 16-ton gross designs. The 12-ton-gross chassis has the 120 bhp six cylinder in-line air cooled Deutz diesel or the 170 bhp V6 air-cooled engine. The 15-ton comes with the same V6 while the 16-ton version has the 232 bhp Deutz V8 air-cooled diesel. The 12-ton chassis with 170 bhp engine and the 15and 16-ton designs are offered with four-wheel drive.

In the 6 x 6 category there is a 21-ton-gross model with the V6 and 22and 26-ton gross versions with the V8. In all cases the new models have parallel frame side-members with the same depth throughout their length, ZF gearboxes and power assisted steering and hub reduction driving axles.

Although having a similar square-cut appearance there are two basic cabs; chassis for 16 tons gross and over have a unit that has about 10in, extra width. The length of the bonnet varies according to the engine fitted but internally the cabs are the same.

The steering column can be adjusted for rake and height of 10deg and 1.5in. respectively--a sprung driving seat is standard and a two-roan passenger seat is fitted. For work on the engine, the unit is completely accessible by removing the front wings, bonnet cover and side panels and front grille; these components are designed to be easily detachable.

At present only left-hand-drive versions are being produced. It is planned that right-hand-drive models will be available in 1972 for the British market and until then existing designs will be marketed in this country.

An example of the new Magirus-Deutz models, this is the 120D 12AK.

An action by Metalair Ltd, of Fishpond Road, Wokingham, Berks, against John Thompson (Transporter Division) Ltd, of Ettingshall, Wolverhampton, was compromised on agreed terms in the High Court on November 17 in a dispute concerning the copyright in designs and drawings for bulk transport containers for powder and granulated products.

Mr Jack Hames, for Metalair, told the vice-chancellor (Sir John Pennycuick) that it was a case of infringement of copyright. Thompson now undertook to hand over to Metalair designs and drawings supplied to it in 1968 and all copies made from them. Also it undertook not to make use of confidential information contained in the drawings and to pay Metalair its costs.

Mr Donald Nicholls, for Thompson, said he was instructed to give the undertakings and agree to the form of order.

RHA Ports committee

Because of serious delays to vehicles in Port of London docks the RHA announced on November 17 that it had set up a ports committee and was asking for more effective booking systems.

1200 Scanias next year

Swedish manufacturer SAAB-Scania plans to sell 1200 Scania trucks in Britairii„next year. This was revealed on November 17 iat a Press conference in London, coinciding With the Public Works Exhibition, at which the company detailed its quality control activities, particularly in respect of diesel engines.

In 1970, Scania expects to have sold a total of 800 trucks in the UK. It sees Britain as its largest potential export market, said a Scania executive.

UK-Portugal service

• Vanguard Transport Ltd, whose main base is at Avonmouth, Bristol, announced on November 18 that it had established a regular road transport service to and from Portugal. As well as an overland service through France and Spain, the company is making use of the new direct Normandy Ferries service between Southampton and Lisbon.

The company has formed an association with Tower Continental, AM Garages, Western Transport and AD Forsey (Transport) to provide a nationwide organization in which there will be sharing of traffic and common use of trailers. Express TIR full-load and .groupage services will be worked.

Vanguard intends that offices and depots shall be opened in Spain next year. and already there is a permanent office adjacent to the customs terminal at Lisbon.

Chief executive Mr J. Phillips, based in Lisbon, told CM that the service, which was started in September, had already justified the initiative; there was considerable market research before the service was launched. At present the bulk of the outward traffic is groupage, with mainly full loads on the return. Main outward loads are machinery, engineering and domestic goods and textiles. There is a return traffic in textiles, fruit and vegetables, leather and fancy goods.

Although the overland route takes about 3; days and the ferry 48 hours (to be reduced when Eagle enters service) the operating cost is almost identical for both systems. One factor favouring the ferry is the lack of border-crossing problems.

Typical rates for groupage between the depot and Lisbon are 60s from London for 200 kg minimum or 67s for consignments from 7500 to 10,000 kg from Manchester; all rates are per 100 kg or 10 Cu ft.

The Lisbon express service can be contacted through the hauliers' regional offices or through Vanguard at Avonmouth 4781 or Tower Continental at 01-534 5861.

Tory transport group

The Conservative Monday Club has formed a transport study group to consider the problems currently facing the transport industries. Several members of the present government are Club members, including Mr John Peyton, Minister for Transport Industries.

Priority will be given to looking at means by which State regulation of transport can be reduced, and the State's holding in transport facilities minimized with a view to increasing competition and efficiency.

New fees for LDoY

At the Lorry Driver of the Year competition agm on November 20 it was decided that the entry fee for 1971 would be E2 5s per competitor. There will be no alteration in the number of classes for next year but classes E and F will be for artics up to 40ft long (previously 32ft) and those over 40ft will be entered in classes G and H.

The national final next year will be at Bramcote on September 12.

Lord Chesham was re-elected president for 1971 and Mr G. Aston national chairman. lain Sherriff, deputy editor of CM which sponsors the competition, is again national secretary and Mr A. E. Teem of Cadbury-Schweppes is once more clerk of the course. New members elected to the national executive committee were:— Mr G. Asbury (RTITB); Mr R. S. Boyce (Liverpool); Mr A. Hartley (Norwich); Mr G. B. M. Kerr (West of Scotland); Mr A. Leadbetter (Fleetwood); Mr J. W. Scammell (Oxford); Mr G. Steele (Dunfermline); and Mr J. H. Trotter (York).

There may be four new centres next year, at Portstewart, Northern Ireland; Dudley; Middlesbrough and the Isle of Wight. York and Leeds will hold a joint event at the Royal Yorkshire Showground while Dunfermline and Edinburgh will join forces at Ingleston race track. Dates of all events have to be confirmed to the National Secretary by December 25, and the full list will be published in CM early next year.

At a subsequent regulations sub-committee meeting it was decided that competitors at eliminating centres should be required to answer 30 questions on the Highway Code (10 at present) and that the minimum road route mileage should be raised from 5 to 10.

Tail-end markings

From November 1 1971 heavy goods vehicles and trailers will have to be fitted with markings of the type shown in diagrams on this page. Representations by the trade associations have resulted in more latitude in their application and slightly smaller markings in some cases than originally proposed.

The requirements are set out in The Motor Vehicles (Rear Markings) Regulations 1970, price 1s 6d from HMSO or booksellers. Exempted from the regulations are:— Passenger vehicles; living-van trailers not exceeding 2 tons unladen; land tractors, locomotives and implements and agricultural trailers; industrial tractors, works trucks and trailers; an unfinished vehicle going to a works for completion or to a place of storage or display for sale: tractive units of artic combinations; broken-down vehicles being towed; engineering plant; pay trailers; fire

The new rear markings for hgv will apply as follows: Vehicles not exceeding 13m long and trailers in combinations not exceeding 11m must be fitted with types shown in diagrams 1 or 2, though where construction makes this impracticable or unreasonable, the type in diagram 3 may be substituted. Trailers in combinations more than 11m but not more than 13m long must have markings of types 1, 2, 4 or 5, except where impracticable, where type 3 may be used. Vehicles over 13m and trailers of combinations over 13m must have type 4 or 5. Vehicles affected may display these approved markings before the statutory date if desired.

fighting and fire salvage vehicles; aircraft servicing or control vehicles; vehicles designed and used for the transport of two or more motor vehicles; a vehicle going to a place for export; a vehicle temporarily in Great Britain and owned by a person resident abroad: a vehicle in the service of a visiting force or of a headquarters; a motor vehicle first used before Jan 1 1940.

TM L plans soon

The suggestions for the implementation of Section 65 of the Transport Act 1968 drawn up by the National Guild of Transport Managers at the request of the Minister (relating to transport managers' licences) will be ready for presentation to Mr Peyton early . in the New Year.

PDM centre launched

Making top managements aware of the advantages to be gained from studying physical distribution management (PDM) within their own organizations, and then thinking in terms of a total distribution concept, is the first objective of the programme arranged by the centre for physical distribution management, whose launching took place on November 23.

For the time being at least, the centre will be operated under the wing of the British Institute of Management, though as a separate entity. Its manager will be Mr Reg 6aler, of BIM.

The centre's aim is to promote the study and understanding of PDM and to improve freight distribution techniques (and cut costs) at company, industrial and national level.

The other main functions of the centre for PDM will be in providing educational facilities (for instance nearly 50 courses and seminars are planned for next year); establishing an information service; co-ordinating research which is being undertaken elsewhere in PDM subjects; making available the results of case studies in the distribution field; and in publishing specialist information.

One of the first moves in stimulating management awareness is the provision by the PDM centre of a checklist which raises 14 relevant questions on the way in which a company organizes, controls and costs its distribution.

Sir Reginald Wilson has agreed to serve as chairman of the board of the PDM centre.

Special Types changes

The Department of the Environment has now circulated for comment proposed changes in the Special Types General Order 1969. As summarized in CM on October 16, the proposed amendments would exclude a load-carrying tractor from the measurement of overall length of a combination carrying indivisible loads and would permit more than one abnormal indivisible load to be carried on the same vehicle between the same points, subject to certain limitations.

The department is asking for comments not later than January 8.

E [C 'restrictive'

Slow development of the common transport policy of the European Economic Community made it almost impossible to assess realistically the effect of UK entry on our own transport, the Freight Transport Association told the Minister for Transport Industries last month.

Transitional arrangements would be essential if Britain joined the EEC said the FTA and it was concerned about the over-regulation which limited flexibility in the Community's transport.