No RTITB split
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PLANS to split the Road Transport Industry Training Board into two have finally been abandoned by the Government.
Employment Minister Peter Morrison told MPs that the Government had decided to accept the proposals of the working party set up by the Board last year that it should remain as a single organisation.
In 1981 the Manpower Services Commission called for the Board to be split in two, one sector for road haulage and one for motor vehicles retail and repair. But the employers were unable to agree on how the split should be achieved.
Mr Morrison said the working party had called for the establishment of two industrial councils one based on motor vehicle retail and repair and the other on road haulage. Each will have responsibility for developing training policies in its sector.
The Government's endorsement of the proposals was without prejudice to the final decision on outstanding applications by the motor factors and vehicle hire sectors to be removed from the scope of the Board.
The Board welcomed the news this week saying a single organisation would be more cost effective than two smaller ones for each sector.
But a spokesman promised that it would not cease to be sensitive to the needs of the two sectors.
He added that efforts are still being made to find smaller headquarters for the Board, but it has so far been unable to find anyone interested in taking over its lease for the present tower block at Wembley, North London. The Road Haulage Association said it welcomed the announcement. It had once wanted the Government to create a separate haulage board, but since last autumn it has been happy with the greater influence it believes employer representatives now have.
A spokesman said it was still concerned about such high costs as are represented by the two Motec training centres at Livingston and High Ercall, and added that relevant training courses should be provided and that all activities should be made cost effective.
• A Youth Training Scheme for transport and distribution has been prepared by the RTITB in co-operation with the National Joint Training Scheme for Young Drivers. It will offer places to companies using at least Class Three hgv, and whose drivers possess endorsement-free licences if they possess a group A licence.