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COMMENT

16th December 1999
Page 9
Page 9, 16th December 1999 — COMMENT
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The spirit is willing...

Did John Prescott jump or was he pushed? And will anyone in the haulage sector really care? While the national papers have been hotly speculating about Prescott's political downfall for weeks, hauliers have more important things to worry about—like survival.

Lord Macdonald says the Government's policy is far more important than who is chosen to implement it; but what is that policy? A 10-year vision outlined by Prescott this week covers an gobn package of improvements to road and rail, including plans for road projects to sort out bottlenecks. Good news indeed. And Lord Macdonald has once again shown he is a man the haulage sector can do business with.

His indication to the latest industry forum that an essential user rebate scheme for CV operators will be examined is welcome news. Along with Gordon Brown's preBudget statement abandoning the escalator, it indicates that the Government is recognising, at long last, how difficult trading conditions for hauliers really are.

The spirit is willing, it seems. Let's just hope the flesh doesn't turn to jelly when the time comes to implement the changes.

• Found to be grossly negligent, convicted of manslaughter—and let off with suspended sentences. The Roy Bowles Transport case sends contradictory messages to the industry and is bound to upset the families of the motorists who died in the incident (see page 5). We accept there were exceptional circumstances giving rise to the decision. But we're less sure about a system that lets operators walk free after allowing drivers to flout the rules with such tragic results.


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