GET RICHARD'S TRAIN SET ON THE RAILS
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NOW what was it that Sir Richard Marsh was saying in his plea for a biased — oh, I beg pardon, better treatment for the railways? Oh, yes! He wants a more restrictive licensing system in road haulage.
Now, if you've got a short memory — a very short memory — you won't remember that he was the nice chap who sold Barbara Castle's 0-licensing system to the haulage industry just back in 1969. He not only sold it to operators against their will, but he made it sound he was doing them a big favour by getting rid of that nasty restrictive carriers' licensing system. No, Sir Richard, we don't buy you twice.
And then of course there was Barbara, who said at a press conference which I attended — they used to let me out in the old days — that she didn't care how many vehicles were on the road as long as they were safe. She said it was not the Government's business to protect rates and create a closed shop for haulage. Exactly right,so let's hope she and her colleagues bear that in mind when — or if — they read Sir Richard's charming plea for protection for his 'train set''.