Dunwoody to stay or go?
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One of the most prominent critics of government transport policy was sacked last week as head of an influential committee of MPs. However, as Commercial Motor was going to press it looked likely that Gwyneth Dunwoody would be re-instated as chair of the Commons Transport Select Committee.
The turnaround came after backbenchers rallied behind Dunwoody by rejecting the proposed membership of the new committee by a majority of 87 votes. Commons leader Robin Cook claimed Dunwoody's removal was justified by the need to bring in fresh faces, however his actions prompted claims that the government wants to silence the outspoken MP, along with Donald Anderson who headed the foreign affairs committee.
Hauliers will have mixed feelings about the news because her committee failed to endorse many of their grievances in a report published shortly before last year's fuel protests.
The report concluded: "We broadly support the principles which have underpinned the government's taxation policies towards the road haulage industry, although such policies should be applied in a sensible and pragmatic way."
The committee did, however, back the idea of making foreign hauliers pay for a vignette to use UK roads.
A spokesman for the Freight Transport Association says Dunwoody has widespread knowledge of transport and is respected for being independently minded. But he adds: "She has pre-determined views and clearly they have not coincided with the FTA's core messages and the priorities of Commercial Motor readers."