115m fund still floating
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. by Dominic Perry
Six months after Chancellor Gordon Brown promised the haulage industry an extra £100m, hauliers outside England are still waiting to find out how the money will be spent.
So far none of the devolved governments has decided how to spend its slice of the funding, which comes to some £15m between them.
Ian Hetherington, chief executive of the Road Haulage and Distribution Training Council (RHOTC)—which is Involved in talks over how to use the cash—says he is disappointed the politicians have not acted more quickly.
"We are going to continue to work hard to ensure the Scottish. Welsh and Northern Irish employers can benefit from funding to the same extent as their English counterparts," he says.
"But if they don't come forward fairly soon, nonEnglish operators will be seen to be disadvantaged, which doesn't send a strong message to the transport industry across the UK," he adds.
However, the trade associations have defended the slowness of the devolved governments and urge care.
Phil Flanders. Scottish regional director of the Road Haulage Association, says he welcomes a cautious approach: "We're in no big hurry to spend the money; we've only got £8.3m over three years, which isn't an awful lot.
"We'd rather take our time and make sure it is spent right rather than rush and get it wrong," he comments.
Debbie Stux, regional policy adviser for the Freight Transport Association in Wales, says that though the funding has been delayed it doesn't mean it won't happen.
"I would have liked it to get off the ground more quickly, but things do seem to be moving now," she says.
Scotland is to spend £8.3m, Wales £4.8m and Northern Ireland £2.7m. All are discussing how best to use it.