DISCORD ON EEC HARMONY
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I HAVE been reading with dismay the recent reports of the further attempts by the whiz kids of Brussels to "harmonise" road transport regulations within the EEC. One of the definitions of harmony in my dictionary is "agreement", hut I doubt whether many British hauliers would he in agreement with the totally unfair competition they have to endure from their continental counterparts.
Temporarily imported vehicles are already exempt from many of the costly regulations imposed on UK Operators. Neither do they have to meet the financial, good repute and professional competence requirements of this country. True, of course, that our operators do not have to comply with many of the regulations applying in the countries they pass through, but I would suggest this as a penalty rather than a benefit, as the British regulations are far stricter and far more severely enforced than those in most European countries.
British operators are restricted to the amount of fuel they can carry in their tanks when entering most foreign countries, but the continentals (where fuel is cheaper anyway), can enter the UK with an unlimited amount. If carrying this extra fuel puts them over their legal weight, who cares? The chances of getting caught are slim, as they mostly come in on the evening ferries and travel up country overnight when there are no roadside checks.
With no motorway tolls in this country, and with no contribution to our exchequer from dery excise duty, the continentals contribute nothing to our road system. This is obviously otu of die reasons for the massive over contribution to track costs by British hauliers.
Now we read of the latest proposals to permit cabotage. I wonder where it all going to end, especially as Spain an Portugal have now joined the EEC.
When will our representatives in Brussels wake-up to this discord! D. E. Allen Managing director Road Operators Associated Delivery Servi Winchester lampshire.