Give roil a chance—Minister
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RAIL should be given an opportunity to prove its value in the overall British transport picture. This was the message of a speech last weekend by Mr Neil Carmichael, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department of the Environment. He was speaking to the Scottish Co-operative Transport Association.
Mr Carmichael stressed that the Government was neither "pro-rail" nor "proroad". The backbone of its transport policy was to make the best use of all resources available. Until now the balance had been weighted too heavily in favour of the lorry: it was now time to redress the balance.
Looking at ways of making lorries less objectionable, Mr Carmichael said it was difficult to identify which area caused most offence. Noise and fumes were well known, hut which size factor caused most offence: was it weight, height, length or width?
"Gross weight is not so important as long as axle weights are controlled," emphasized the Minister.