ACTIONS COUNT LOUDER
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According to Transport Secretary John MacGregor if you don't like the way other EC countries enforce road transport law:"Don't bellyache about generalities—give me evidence and act upon it." Well you can't say fairer than that can you?
Any politician worth his Parliamentary seat is always going to flirt with an audience, especially when they're guests at the Road Haulage Association's annual dinner. But when the last echoes of the rhetoric have faded what's left? It's action,not words that count.
Judging by the tone of his speech the Transport Secretary seemed to be wanting someone to tell him what to do.
For example, on taking action on bad payers: if you have a unanimous view let me know." And on problems with post-1992 cross-border traffic 'I and my department will take up any case where it's happening." Well Secretary of State, as you've asked here's a few action points that should get "unanimous" support. First, introduce legislation calling for a proper bond scheme to protect the thousands of small hauliers who have been stung by dodgy freight forwarders—as has already been suggested by BIFA. Next, stop French customs from fining British hauliers for carrying fuel in bellytanks. Under EC rules the French are wrong. Then tell the Home Office to stop moaning about "Draconian Powers" and ramrod through a bill allowing unlicensed operators' vehicles to be impounded. 01 course nothing in life is ever that simple. There's a world of difference between speechifying and policy making. John Major's recent appearance at the FTA dinner is a case in point. For the FTA it was a "majoisic] event. Well we'll see what comes out of it. He heard the call For a rethink on 44 tonnes—now we'll see what's he going to do about it. Behind all the public statements and political posturing there is, however, a serious point that musn't be lost on anyone in the road transport industry. If you want to influence a politician you've got to have the numbers. And here's the rub. Out of the 89,000 0-Licence holders currently earning a living in Great Britain no more than 23,000 belong to any trade association.
Compare that to the millions of householders, income and poll tax and mortgage payers,clog owners and washing up liquid buyers and the industry's ability to influence becomes apparent. If more operators understood that the fate of the industry is literally in their own hands then they wouldn't be so reluctant to join a trade association. You can't get representation without participation. If the Secretary of State for Transport wants the road transport industry to tell him what's wrong with the business then let's make sure whatever we say is said by many voices. The Secretary says individual bellyaches wont get road hauliers anywhere. He's right, the louder you shout the more he'll listen.