FTA's hopes rudely shattered
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• Hopes that the 1970 change of government would be accompanied by a fundamental change of philosophy towards transport, had soon been revealed as likely to be prejudiced by what has become known as "the environment", says the annual report of the Freight Transport Association.
"Close on the heels of the reorganization
• of government to bring transport within the scope of the DoE came the Minister's decision not to permit the use of heavier vehicles,it recalls. "It was accompanied by a proposal to introduce new environmental regulations—governing vehicle noise, smoke, and power. Disappointing as was the first decision in itself, it was far more worrying as a barometer of political opinion. It let loose a tide of emotional comment in Parliament, the Press and on television: unless countered this must threaten the possibility of achieving any sort of sensible balance between transport and the environment.
"Over the years, the very heavy legislative control of transport—which must surely be more onerous than for any other industry—has had its roots partly in railway protection, partly in road safety.
"There was some ground for hope that the Transport Act 1968, itself the culmination of a string of subsidiary legislation, had put both issues firmly to bed as far as the legislative framework was concerned.
"Such hopes have been rudely shattered by the realization that the environment will replace railway protection and road safety as the public issue which will cast its shadow over road transport during the 1970s."
The accounts show that the FTA made a surplus of £73,736 for the year ended December 31 1970, compared with £16,490 for the previous year. Subscriptions came to £148,675 (1969: £126,508).
Fees received from technical services amounted to £207,677, less salaries, SET and admin expenses of £186,194 leaving a surplus of £21,483; income from training courses and conference fees was £58,608, less direct expenses of £26.041, leaving £32,567; and publications, including advertising. realized £234,613 less direct expenses of £180,232, leaving £54,381.
Nearly 50,000 vehicle inspections were carried out by the FTA inspectorate under contract to members; over 1m record books were distributed and the new edition of the Driver's Handbook sold a record of 150,000 copies.