Weighty inquiry
Page 4
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The question and answer session with Labour's Transport Minister (page 3) makes interesting reading.
I emphasise that Bill Rodgers is Labour's Transport Minister because this matter of increased axle weights is bedevilled by the environmentalists, and there are fears by both major parties that there are votes to be lost.
With an election coming up next year, who can foresee any decision being made till we have a new Government, whether Labour or Conservative? What we don't want are electoral promises, aimed at attracting votes.
A party returned with a reasonable parliamentary majority will be one in a strong position to take the decision best for Britain, and we are confident that that also will be best for our hauliers.
In the meantime, we have an outside chance of an inquiry. It would • seem best if this is delayed too, because it must be comprehensive. If the evidence called, say, to claim that inspector holding the inquiry hears certain sewers would be damaged by the effects of increased axle weights, then he needs to know also whether money is not to be spent on _ strengthening them anyway. Some are said to date back to Roman times.