Did Mrs Castle know?
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• Was Mrs. Barbara Castle quoting the Ministry of Transport study "Transport for Industry" when, as Minister, she had attempted to justify the quantity licensing system? This question was posed by Mr. H. R. Featherstone. director of the Freight Transport Association, when he addressed the Association's Notts and Derby area this week.
Certainly reference to "over half the firms not knowing the cost of alternative transport" suggested that Mrs. Castle had knowledge of the findings. If this was the case comment had been premature and completely out of context. Indeed it could be contended that the whole report dealt a body blow at quantity licensing and if it had been generally available, as it should have been, when the Transport
Bill was put before Parliament it would have been difficult to believe that the quantity provisions would have survived.
The published report made it clear that knowledge of costs by alternative modes of transport meant knowledge. of the rate for a specific consignment. However, it was also acknowledged that many of the consignors, without this information, probably had a general picture of competitive charges sufficient to make a rational transport decision.
The study effectively crushed the accusation that consignors were prejudiced in their selection of transport, it being apparent that comparatively few, including those operating specialized vehicles, were committed to a single mode.