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Promise and performance

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18th September 1970

Page 111

Page 111, 18th September 1970 — Promise and performance

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Earls Court opens its doors today on a Show of tremendous promise. The promise of excellent new vehicles ready for higher permitted weights, and the powerful engines to go with them. The promise of new standards of passenger comfort offered by a British manufacturer in the shape of the Leyland National bus revealed today. Not least, the promise of bodies, components, equipment and servicing aids to give operators the higher productivity they need. The one essential thing that is lacking is an announcement about the better roads which will be needed to carry the new vehicles and keep British industry competitive.

Looking around the main hall at Earls Court, one inevitably wonders how different it may appear in two years' time. While the products on show reveal engineering excellence, and a proper preoccupation with productivity and safety, the manufacturing industry seems to be entering yet another period of change. Duple has changed hands in the past week or so, and Atkinson has accepted the bid by its rival ERF. Vauxhall is in the throes of a GM international reorganization which had aroused almost as much speculation as the future of Chrysler UK. Meanwhile, there is no doubt about the weight of competition from abroad: Swedish manufacturers have been particularly successful in the British heavy market, DAF has this week announced a major campaign in this country and others, such as Fiat, are testing the water.

The situation must be kept in perspective. Last year Britain exported £168.5m-worth of commercial vehicles and imported about £9m-worth. But entry into the EEC would bring challenges and compensating opportunities that could change the British and European markets very considerably. The factors on which operators can bank are that industry is expanding (even though too slowly), that trade will increase and that road transport will therefore become in steadily greater demand. The 25th Commercial Motor Show confirms that there will be no lack of suitable vehicles to carry these increasing loads—so long as the UK's damaging labour troubles can be overcome, and supply assured.