PERMITS CONCERN • Your report in Commercial Motor, January 31,
Page 54
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1987, about permits problems suggests a certain lack of concern on my part at the difficulties being experienced by some hauliers trying to fmd bilateral permits.
There is, at present, a serious shortage of Italian permits and some problems with Spain and West Germany because of inadequare quotas. The Road Haulage Association has expressed its concern to the Department of Transport and others.
I have spoken, on two occasions, to the president of the Spanish road haulage association seeking his cooperation in persuading the Spanish authorities to increase their quota. We also make our views known in meetings of the International Road Transport Union in Geneva and Brussels.
However, it remains true that there is no lack of competition in international road transport and the rates being paid suggest that there is excess capacity in the market. British hauliers have been losing traffic to foreign hauliers over the past five years but this has been on economic grounds rather than through a shortage of permits.
The RHA supports the principle of greater freedom to provide road services within the EEC, but it wants to see measures taken to remove the distortions in competition which exist between hauliers of the dofferent states of the Community.
Increasing quotas means more foreign vehicles here as well as more British vehicles going abroad. The association wants to see them all compete freely, but on a more equal basis.
Bob Duffy Senior Executive Officer Road Haulage Association