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The Freight Transport Association has praised the Road Haulage Forum
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for its unstinting work in improving the haulier's lot. But, as Steve Banner reports, some hauliers believe the forum could do much more to argue their case...
ended as a talking shop by many hauliers when it was first launched early in 1999, the Road Haulage Forum is proving far more valuable than its detractors realise. At least, that is the view of Stuart Archbold, chairman of Archbold Freightage, who has taken part in forum discussions between government ministers and hauliers' representatives.
"There is a general and frank exchange of opinions, and the ministers are keen to take on board the views of the road transport industry," he contends. You get a sense that they don't want to plough on with things regardless.
"There are differences of opinion, of course—on how the Working Time Directive should he implemented, for example. But I believe ministers are listening to our concerns." The Freight Transport and Road Haulage Associations, the SMMT and the Transport & General Workers Union are all represented. Both Archbold and John Harvey, chairman of Tibbett & Britten, also attend as independent industry voices.
Facing them is transport minister John Spellar, who chairs the forum. Talks about the future of the London Underground meant he was unable to attend the last one. Also present are junior transport minister David Jamieson, small businesses minister Nigel Griffiths, and the financial secretary to the Treasury, Paul &paten&
Achievements
But what has the forum, which meets three or four times a year, actually achieved?
The FTA contends that the Lioom allocated to haulage in last year's Budget was a result of the forum's feedback. It also believes the forum helped bring about changes to Vehicle Excise Duty, and influenced the decision to abandon the fuel tax escalator.
"We're not saying these changes were solely the consequence of forum discussions, because broader negotiations with government took place, but they had a part to play," insists a spokesman. "The forum isn't just a talking shop, and will only become so if the industry allows it."
The last forum meeting in July reviewed how the L81.2m earmarked for England will be spent,
and will help implement the me sures. Some Dorn will towards the retrofitting of partic late traps and other poIlutio reducing measures, 15m will I spent on training—the forum h; a training sub-group—and L3: on better enforcement in the U:
A Li5m scheme that will advi: truck operators on how to ir prove fuel efficiency will start November, and Lzm is going tc "modernisation operati scheme". This scheme, to taken forward jointly by the RHA and FTA, will help hauliers improve their performance. All this adds up to some f55m, id the forum will certainly want influence the way it is spent. However, there's one thing the ,rum hasn't achieved: big cuts in esel duty.
"I don't think we're going to get .ige reductions, and, to be realis:, how much would hauliers .ep if we did?" says RHA chair[an Bob Russet, who attended .s first forum meeting in July. :)dds are that it would all be issed on to customers."
"Duty is a topic that is always ised," maintains Archbold.
However, Russett believes the rum can be of considerable furer help when it comes to train.g, and is determined that the iorking Time Directive should 'main on the agenda. 'The skills iortage should certainly be on .e agenda, along with vignettes id the direction enforcement is king," adds the FTA.
Should other government Tartments participate? Interitional hauliers would certainly ‹.e the Home Office to know eir views about the penalties iposed on hauliers who inadrtently bring illegal immigrants to the UK.
"It's an important issue, but in not sure the forum is the *it place to deal with it," Russett .ys. "If more departments are volved a lot of ground could be covered, but only superficially."
He was more impressed by the forum than he expected. "Ministers appeared to be taking notice of what we said, and were asking questions, although whether they take any action is another matter," he observes.
Phil Flanders, the RHA's regional director for Scotland and Northern Ireland, believes it would make sense to set up a separate road haulage forum involving ministers from the Scottish executive. "There was a Scottish Transport Forum prior to devolution, and it had a freight transport sub-group, but since devolution it has been put on the shelf," he says. "We'd like to see a forum in Northern Ireland too, although that might be a bit difficult with the current political situation."
Such initiatives would be particularly valuable given that £18.8m of the Lwom will be spent in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
"We certainly lobby the Scottish and Welsh executives. We've set up an office in Wales and we have one in Scotland, but we're not convinced separate Welsh and Scottish forums are necessary," says the FTA.
"The Scottish and Welsh executives don't have the powers Westminster does, and although the Scottish Parliament has some tax-raising powers, the Welsh assembly doesn't.
"It's interesting to note that the EC intends to set up a European energy and transport forum. It will cover all modes of transport and infrastructure provision."
One big change since the election is the government's desire for the Westminster forum's work to be more extensively publicised, says Stuart Archbold. "That's very much John Spellar's initiative," he adds. Some hauliers had argued that the transport industry wasn't being told enough about its deliberations.
But not everybody is convinced of the virtues of the Westminster forum. Haulier Paul Fox, of Manea, Cambridgeshire, remains deeply disappointed that fuel duty hasn't been cut.
"So far as that is concerned, the forum has been a failure," he observes, "Actions speak louder than words, and the government is fobbing hauliers off."
No better off
"It hasn't made any difference," adds Tim Watling of Atdeborough. Norfolk-based haulier Bill Watling & Sons. "I don't feel any better off, and I don't have any more money in my pocket. We have deep-rooted problems in our industry, and they won't be sorted out by a few guys in suits sitting around a table."
Like Fox, he believes the forum must address the fuel tax issue. "Hauliers are buying their fuel in Europe whenever they can, and the government is losing millions of pounds' worth of revenue as a consequence," he reports.
However, Russett remains convinced of the forum's value. "Talking face to face with ministers can never do any harm," he remarks. Stuart Archbold agrees, adding that it can take a long time for a government to change policies. "Government is a bit like a great big oil tanker," he says. "It can be very slow to turn around,"