R PETER MASERELD, !airman, welcomed delegates around 450 — to
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CA•fs Fleet anagement Conference at the iyal Lancaster Hotel, London, st week. Since the last FMC, he Id, we had had quite a time id no matter how people loved sir business, it was love in a Id climate.
However, road transport had me tolerably well in these fficult days. Recently, too, the scretaly of State for Transport id foreshadowed the long rerdue decision of gross 'hide weights.
Sir Peter, who is deputy 'airman of Caledonian Airways id former chairman and chief cecutive of London Transport, lid that he hopes that in the heeltracks of the Armitage 3port we can expect 38 or 40 innes, better roads, more (passes and the completion of e M25.
Sir Peter then introduced ryan Rigby, a deputy directorsneral of the Confederation of ritish Industry, who was reviously 25 years in the %mical industry, and who lade the opening remarks. Transport, he said, represents very important sector of the idustrial economy and a highly competitive one, as shown by the dominance of road over other forms of transport, plus competition within the industry.
Mr Rigby said that falling interest rates here and in the United States is good news, but does not conceal the fact that they remain high by historic standards.
Inflation, which causes so many deceptions over money flows and real profitability, is falling, too, he said — more good news. Working practices within industry generally and productivity in the UK are improving.
An attempt had been made by BL to obtain a two-year pay deal, he said, and CBI members need lower settlements.
Now for the bad news, he said. The domestic economy is flat and there is little evidence that it will improve during the next four months. "And export markets have gone for a Burton." In the meantime, public expenditure grows, partly because of unemployment costs and British Steel, but also through Government failures — for instance, the manning levels in public services.
There were past failures on all sides, he said.
There is little growth in the world economy, he added, "and we must bang on about things in our hands and those of the Government." Progress has been made on employment law. The 40-tonne weight limit possibility, too, is another example where we can gain in efficiency. The case had been put well at the Conservatives' Brighton conference, he thought, and the environmental objections shown to be ones that can be handled, although he added that he is a little worried by the way the press had covered this debate.
The Government is proceeding very well down the path to defeat inflation, he said, but there are no short cuts. We are still vulnerable in a predicament of global dimensions. However, members of the CBI are not downhearted.