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Foresight and Enterprise
Page 62
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IN welcoming delegates to the Conference, the chairman, James Amos, emphasized its importance as shown by its wide representation and the full programme the organizers had provided for delegates. The Conference would have real purpose in the valuable information that delegates took back to their respective companies.
The choice of Lord Muirshiel to open the Conference. said Mr. Amos, was most appropriate on at least three counts. He was first and foremost a Scot, a former Minister of Transport and a former Secretary of State for Scotland. In the latter capacity Lord Muirshiel had been closely concerned with all aspects of Scottish life, including the initiation of the Forth Road Bridge.
Lord Muirshiel expressed his delight, as a Scot, that The Commercial Motor had cho§en Dunblane for its second Fleet Management Conference. The decision showed considerable foresight, enterprise and spirit and he was impressed by the quite remarkable variety of interests represented by the delegates. Moreover, it was of advantage to all concerned that every opportunity should be given to learn how Scots reacted to current problems. Particularly was this so when currently great changes were taking place in the Scottish economy, including the vital link of transport. Although not yet eliminated, the traditional imbalance of heavy industries in the Scottish scene was being realigned with the advent of new industries. Recent Board of Trade figures showed an acceleration of this trend, Lord Muirshiel added.
Alongside this re-adjustment of Scottish industry, he went on, there was a growing realization of the vital importance of an adequate road system for Scotland. It was unacceptable that any part of this relatively small island should not be in a position to realize its full economic potential, and in so doing transport was a vital factor.
Although air transport undoubtedly was an asset in opening up remote areas, the subsequent output of new
factories had to be moved principally by road. Lord Muirshiel referred delegates to last week's article in The Commercial Motor on the Fort William pulp and paper mills as an example of the transport problem.
Looking at the transport scene as a whole. Lord Muirshiel said that the industry had far too long been bedevilled by politics and he sincerely hoped that more lasting solutions would soon be found. He congratulated The Commercial Motor on its enterprise and in formally opening the Conference wished the delegates well in their Jeliberations.