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The first step is to revise the strategy to fit the new circumstances'

17th April 1964, Page 82
17th April 1964
Page 82
Page 82, 17th April 1964 — The first step is to revise the strategy to fit the new circumstances'
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

pRUDENTLY most road operators laid their plans in anticipation of a June election and the possibility of a Labour government. They welcomed the news that there would shortly be an advertising campaign with the nationalization of road haulage as its main target for criticism. They appreciated that this would -help their cause in the constituencies all over the country to which the main political battle would shortly be transferred. Whether or not they had strong political feelings they no doubt had plans for protecting their own interests and replying to attacks made against them in their personal, or business capacity.

They now have six months instead of ag many weeks. Many of them may now be feeling like the man who chases after a bus only to find that it is not going to his destination. They have a little more time in which to think things over and time is as important in politics as in war. The first step is to revise the strategy to fit the new circumstances. There is nothing to be gained from carrying on as if nothing had changed and running out of steam somewhere in the middle of June.

None of the advertisements has appeared and presumably they will not now be seen for some time to come, They may indeed never come before the public at all It is always possible that new material will be used when the campaign is resumed. Few people will ever know what it was that the supporters of free enterprise road haulage wished to make widely known at the end of April, This might be just as well, for by the beginning of September new events may have dictated a new approach.

Even if no new transport projects are put in hand by the present Government there are enough items in the pipeline to make a considerable difference to the transport scene by the date of the election. The streamlining and modernization of the railways under the Beeching proposals is going ahead. Parallel with its progress there are regular meetings of the three-sided committees and working parties on which the Road Haulage Association is represented as well as British Road Services and the railways.

MEASURES TO CO-OPERATE SOON?

The time may not be long delayed when the discussions

lead to positive measures of co-operation. These may involve agreements by individual hauliers to take over certain traffics which the railways no longer find it convenient to handle and -even to take over redundant railway staff. The basis may be laid down for the regular use of liner trains by both hauliers. and traders with their own vehicles. The farther that the process of interworking goes the more difficulty would a Labour government have to find at the very least a decent excuse for cancelling the arrangements or for confiscating the businesses of hauliers —much less C licence holders—who have acted towards the railways in good faith.

Another horse from the MarpIes stables is the Geddes Committee. They have been working steadily through the long list of people and organizations wishing to give evidence. If it was too much to expect them to report in time for a parliamentary debate before a dissolution in June the later Ofi,te makes the suggeri lion much more reason 1348 able. Parliament will not be without business. There is now time for a full-scale Budget debate and the discussions on resale price maintenance will not be brief. But there should be ample scope for other subjects and the Geddes report if it is ready in time ought to find a place on the programme.

Although licensing is the subject of the report the debate in Parliament is bound to cover the wider issue of trans port as a whole. Geddes joins hands with Buchanan, Beeching and Rochdale and has links with many another national or regional inquiry. It will mark the culmination of a widespread investigation set in train by the Government a long time ago. On what could be his last major performance as Minister of Transport, Mr. Marples is certain to give a full account of his stewardship and outline the Conservative party's plans for the future. Confident in his record he will challenge the Labour party to say in what way they would act differently. It should be a difficult challenge even for Mr. Wilson.

CHANCE FOR TRANSPORT INTERLUDES

Road operators might very well hope for a debate along these lines, in which case one can imagine them urging as early a publication as possible for the Geddes report. Even if it is not entirely in accordance with their own ideas they-should prefer it to be made known and debated before the election rather than afterwards when the discussion could possibly be opened by a Socialist Minister of Transport.

Apart from the Geddes report there may be other opportunities for transport interludes in a Parliament which is after all to run its full course. • Sonic idea of the kind of subject likely to be raised may be found in questions recently put to the Minister in the House of Commons. A favourite theme has been allegations of widespread evasion of vehicle licensing and other regulations and it is significant that the questions have come from M.P.s on both sides of the House. This procedure is often used ,to elicit official information for use in subsequent debates,

Operators themselves and the associations representing them are known to be concerned at the frequent reports of illegal or otherwise undesirable practices often fully substantiated as a consequence of prosecutions. The bad reputation attracted to the offenders tends to spread throughout the industry; reputable operators are put at an unfair disadvantage by unscrupulous competitors; and disregard of the law has directly or indirectly a bad effect on road safety. Unsavoury as it is, the subject is one into which operators might sponsor an investigation. From a purely selfish point of view it can only redound to their credit.

It was revealed only recently that the Road Haulage Association have a study group working on another subject, labour relations. Here also the announcement of the date of the general election makes a difference. The study group may well be expected to formulate their ideas well before October and these might well be found acceptable to the unions, in which case they should also be welcomed by the Labour party.


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