Freedom From Red Tape Essential
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WHEN reviewing the position of road transport in war-time, it is not very difficult to understand the dissatisfaction so often expressed by operators. There is a definite opinion that, in many instances, road transport could be fully employed in the National war effort.
The road-transport industry has loyally accepted the necessity of petrol rationing, but has, for some time, been concerned at the unbalanced administration of the scheme adopted. It has been shown that Regional Transport Commissioners have varying ideas regarding services, traffics and the conditions relating thereto. It would, therefore, appear that much criticism could be avoided if a principle or formula could be devised which could be applied with uniformity in each region.
Various Ministers of the Crown have made strong pleas for the production of war-time necessities to be raised to the utmost capacity with the least possible delay. Is it not, therefore, possible for the Government Departments concerned to classify the materials urgently needed for this purpose? If this were done, say, with the Ministries of Supply and Food and details given to the Regional Transport Commissioners, one or other of these Ministries could be the authority for the issue, of the necessary supplementary petrol. Such a scheme could be applied also to the export trade, the importance of which is so often overlooked, camp construction, etc.
Constant Flow of Transport Essential If such proposals were put into operation, one could visualize a constant flow of road transport meeting the factory needs with urgent essentials and transporting expeditiously the finished products to the required points.
A question that might well be asked is what would be the position of the railways in such a scheme. Surely, if an emergency such as we might have to face at any time occurred, the rail facilities would be fully occupied to their greatest capacity in ways which it is not necessary to mention here.
It is most essential that industries and factories engaged upon urgent production for the services should not be subjected to transport delays and the restrictive effects of red tape. Is it politic, in such a national crisis, to endeavour to control road transport by a policy instituted to meet peacetime requirements and which, in many instances, involves considerable delay, often in connection with products or materials urgently required for the war effort? Such a policy is that which requires road operators to prove, with attendant delay, that the nature of the traffic justifies the authorization of supplementary fuel.
Cease Persecution for Minor Offences A further matter causing apprehension is the persecution of operators for minor technical offences. If an invasion of this country does take place, road • transport will have a more important part to play than ever before in its history, and this without the strict observance of orders and regulations, which will, of necessity, go by the board. Is it not, therefore, possible, without any suggestion of revising the law, to permit sufficient elasticity as to .enable the industry to function efficiently and unhampered by the fear of committing offences which, after all, may be of but little importance?
It is doubtful if, in the case of a sudden demand being made upon road transport to carry on the essential services, there would be sufficient vehicles available. This is owing to the fleet reductions that have occurred as a result of stringent fuel rationing and the difficulty in maintaining vehicles, as a result of the shortage of spare parts. These proposals are, therefore, being put forward in a spirit of helpful and constructive criticism to enable operators in the industry to play their full part in the best interests of the Nation.