Living with public opinion
Page 13
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The excellent report, "Living with the lorry", published this week not only provides independent evidence of the lorry's essential role but presents some notions which transport men would do well to promote. Dr Sharp suggests that the lorry is just as much the medium of public freight service as the bus is of public passenger transport; and that, since it is the car which is proliferating, there would be more sense in moving people rather than freight on to the railways, and banning cars to make way for the essential lorry.
The report presents facts and forecasts on which the public could be asked to decide how much it is prepared to pay for quieter, less obtrusive (and essential) road transport. But transport and the environment has become such a political and emotional issue that the public is most unlikely to be given the opportunity of expressing a rational preference. Only if the industry takes positive steps to put this report over to the public will its points be weighed by the public.
It was clear from the "Living with the lorrypress conference this week that the R HA and FTA are cautious about committing themselves to a national publicity campaign, preferring to continue to direct most of their efforts to influential groups like MPs, Civil Servants and local councillors. But it seems to us that both approaches are necessary. MPs have been less willing to listen to rational arguments on this issue than almost any other in recent years; and a news report in this week's issue shows how poorly regarded is the lorry in a survey of aspects of modern life.
It is complacent to think that the public will be convinced of the benefits of cheap, convenient, reliable road transport without a positive campaign — involving the lobbying of councillors and MPs, the assiduous writing of letters to local and national press and, through the trade associations, mounting a professional publicity programme. This would cost money, but has anyone asked individual operators whether they would stump up for a special campaign? If not, now is the time to do so.