Welcome Co-operation
Page 29
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ALL readers of The Commercial Motor will know how consistent has been our policy, for many years, in strongly advocating and giving practical encouragement to the development of powerful representation of the interests of • all users of road transport, and particularly of those whose livelihood depends .upon this means for transport.
Perhaps we may be excused for referring to the effective help which we gave to the Commercial Motor Users Association during its early days, and to our assistance in forming the Road Haulage Association. As recently as June 1 of this year, in a leader entitled " Concerted Effort by Road Transport Operators Essential," we referred to the inadvisability of maintaining a multiplicity of associations and the need for linking these together.
An important move in this direction has come even sooner than we anticipated, and we view with favour the negotiations which are now being conducted with the object of amalgamating the two powerful Associations that we have already named.
No further details are available than the official statement, but it is obvious to us that, if the two be merged, a new Association -must be formed under a different name, and adequate protection be given to each section concerned. There should be no great difficulty in organizing on these. lines, such as operate satisfactorily in that important body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Hitherto these two Associations have been working under considerable difficulties, for the C.M.U.A. has a large and powerful haulier interest, and it is not reasonable to expect it to give this up. On the other hand, the R.H.A. does not cater for the ancillary user, so that nothing short of a merger could really solve the problem. It was not a happy situation to have the two in any way competitive for haulier: membership.
There have been suggestions in certain quarters that both Associations could have been absorbed into the British Road Federation, but, in our view, this would not be at all satisfactory. The Federation was formed for an entirely different purpose, and it includes many interests other than actual commercial-vehicle users. It should still be able to perform much valuable work in the way of publicity for the development of the roadtransport industry in general, whilst a new comprehensive Association would be able to act for its members, collectively and, individually.