Minister admits talks with unions on hours
Page 4
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
by CM reporter INFORMAL discussions have taken place between the new Minister for Transport, Dr John Gilbert, and Mr Jack Jones of the Transport and General Workers Union, the Minister revealed this week.
Dr Gilbert, facing his first " on-the-record " press conference on Tuesday when he opened The Driving Establishment at Harmondsworth, could not commit' the Environment Secretary, Mr Anthony Crosland, to include a definitive statement of the Government's position in a statement on transport policy expected before the summer recess.
Pressed to say whether he thought it was a possible ploy in negotiations with the EEC for Britain to agree to raising the gross vehicle weight of lorries to 38 tonnes in return for delaying the introduction of tachographs and the eighthour driving day, Dr Gilbert said points suoh as this could be put on the bargaining table. He understood that the EEC wanted Britain to agree to lorries 20in longer than the 32 tonners now used here; he was also left in no doubt by his colleagues of the road wear costs associated with heavier axle loadings.
One revealing clue to Dr Gilbert's attitude when final decisions are made at Brussels came out of questions touching on the possible introduction of EEC driving tests, with stiffer medical and psychological requirements. "Our ideas are not finalised," said the Minister, "you can depart from harmonisation without upsetting a Federal system. They do this in Canada and the US without difficulties."
Dr Gilbert said that the strength of roof structures of coaches and buses was under review. There were problems in making a double-decker roof stronger because of the effect of the necessary extra weight affecting the centre of gravity. He refused to speculate on any changes in speed limits for coaches on motorways.
A statement on future transport policy has been longawaited by the Commons. Although it is difficult to believe that it can be delayed after the beginning of the Parliamentary recess, a DoE spokesman could not confirm this week that the statement would be made before the recess in August.