£100m tachos
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Compulsory fitting of tachographs would cost about £100 million overall, with recurring annual costs of £40m, Transport Minister William Rodgers said in the Commons last week.
Mr Rodgers was asked by Michael McNair-Wilson (Conservative, Newbury) if he was aware that the Transport and General Workers Union was insisting that vehicles from the Continent, fitted with tachographs, should be approved by the union before Operating in the West Midlands.
Peter Fry (Conservative, Wellingborough) said that the TGWU was interfering with lawful trading operations and added: "It is causing considerable dislocation to transport in the Midlands. Is it not time that Mr Rodgers stood up to the Union — or was he frightened of offending Alan Law and his bullies in the Midlands?"
Mr Rodgers replied that if the law was being broken action should be taken in the courts.
"If it is not a question of the law of the land, we must recognise the real problems with, and resistance to, the use of the tachograph, which are not simply based upon bloody-mindedness," replied Mr Rodgers.
In reply to another question on whether or not drivers who are "expected to live, eat and sleep in lorry cabs in the interests of big business" should be consulted about what modifications go into cabs, Mr Rodgers said that it was right that there should be consultation.
The issue was whether Britain was obliged to implement the tachograph directive, said Mr Rodgers.