new restridions
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lorry parks and freight brokerage points.
The first legislation from a Labour Transport Secretary however, "will include the repeal of the 1985 (Bus deregulation) Transport Act, with arrangements to safeguard public transport."
The document also states that Labour would "ensure that taxation reflects the true costs imposed on the community by lorry use, including environmental costs." It wants to build more bypasses and "will review the present arrangement for tolls on some bridges and tunnels."
Labour front bench spokesman Bob Hughes claims that his party's policy "is designed to provide a balance of investment between road and rail. We want to give BR the opportunity to compete — expe
cially on distances over 200 miles."
Labour thinks it is a good idea to reduce the number of HGVs being used: "We could take 1,000 lorries a day off the road," says Hughes.
According to Hughes Labour is "not anti-lorry or anti-road. We want to see a balanced approach with BR competing fairly."
FTA director-general Garry Turvey retorts: "You get the feeling Labour believes nothing is right with the existing world, and it can all be improved by more planning, more committees, more strategies, more legislation and more Government interference. There is not one word about developing transport policies for the benefit of industry and our national competitiveness." "There is the usual round of lorry-bashing you would expect from a pre-election document, and if Labour gains power, it appears that we shall face further changes in 0Licensing. The idea that licensing should be entrusted to politically-motivated local authorities fills us with horror." The RHA says there is "not a great deal new in the document," although directorgeneral Freddie Plaskett says that the association finds the cost implications of some of the proposals "disturbing".
While generally welcoming the plans on bypasses, extra enforcement, secure lorry parks and transhipment centres — particularly if they have weighbridges — Plaskett is concerned with the proposal to transfer licensing control from Licensing Authorities to local authorities. "Local authority control would bring with it all the problems of undue influence — no doubt standards would vary," he says.
He describes plans to change vehicle excise duty as "extremely sinister — because the Government already levies unfair taxes on hauliers." He feels Labour could not hold to a 38-tonne gross weight vehicle limit.