1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198 
Robinson forms pressure group
Page 6
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A GROUP OF high-profile fleet operators led by Stafford-based former Haulier of the Year Stan Robinson have set up a grass-roots pressure group called Route One to lobby ministers and senior civil servants on key issues affecting the transport industry.
Robinson says: I asked my local MP for Stafford, David Kidney: if 1 was to get a group of prominent hauliers together would you get us in front of the Transport Minister to talk about not just current legislation but vvhat's coming in the future?'."
The Labour MP liked the idea so last week Robinson hosted an inaugural meeting with representatives from high-profile firms James Irlam, Stiller Group, Simpson Brothers, John Evans Transport, Dodds Transport, Shirley's Transport, Gerry Jones Transport and Framptons Transport Services.
"I know them all and rang everyone and they all said yes to the idea," he reports. Now he's keen to expand the membership of the fledgling group: -Anyone interested in this Route One approach should contact me. The next meeting will be held in November when we can see exactly how the Bums Inquiry informs the pre-Budget report and what decision the government makes on fuel duty increases."
Robinson believes his action group could be a viable alternative to the Road Haulage and Freight Transport Associations, hut he stresses it is not a threat to them.