riu fiddling while 'alklands burn
Page 17
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100 BUSY to notice that a tinoot South American junta was thout to annexe a British ;olony, the Government mnounced the day's Big Deal, £15 million cut in grant for he maintenance of socially Jesirable rail passenger ;ervices.
While the Falkland Islanders were in fear of their lives, the :rain drivers, bitterly defending :heir golf and fishing, denied .esponsibility for their own 'uture. And who is to say that :he money to keep them will lot be found from the large 3udget increase in the cost of listributing essential goods by -oad?
Taxation will not be the sole :ause of higher costs. Delays Dn the road this summer are ikely to have a serious effect. 3epairs to surfaces wrecked luring the winter will be widespread and traffic blocks Nil I proliferate.
In addition, as the RAC has Dointed out, motorists who can no longer afford to run the cars to which they cling (almost literally) for dear life, are neglecting maintenance. There has been a big increase in breakdowns, with
accompanying delays and danger to other traffic.
I was disturbed last summer by the extraordinary number of . aars disabled on motorways to the West Country and the outlook this year is even worse. The implications for safety are grave.