Going up but when?
Page 19
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The news this week that the Minister of Transport is prepared to consider a gross combination weight of 56 tons will undoubtedly create a flood of protests from a variety of interests throughout the country. Unfortunately there will be more emotional rather than practical thinking on this issue. Mr. Mulley has said that he will hear all interested parties—there will be many.
The need to preserve rural England and our ancient buildings; the problems of noise levels; interference with amenities; increasing costs for road and bridge repairs and health hazards—these points are all certain to be advanced in argument. Not a few hauliers will raise their eyebrows—some in anticipation, some in scepticism. According to Mr. A. Torell of the Swedish Road Federation, neither the opponents nor the sceptics need worry (page 50). Drawbar combinations with an overall length of 24 metres (78.8ft) are capable of carrying the increased payload of 16 tons without exceeding actual road limits and as quietly, quickly and with no more damage to amenity than existing vehicles.
For the haulier one other point must be answered. Will the Minister cancel the necessity for drawbar outfits to be double-manned? If not the commercial advantage of 56 tons could be almost negligible.
Even if emotional opponents as well as operators could be won over, one other hurdle would still have to be cleared. This is that drawbar combinations, with their increased carrying capacity, would almost certainly cream off a portion of rail traffic, and before the Minister gets too far in his consideration it is likely that he will be pressed to introduce special authorizations. Mr. Mulley should not give way. Now that we are armed with the facts presented in the Swedish paper we should press on with the introduction of increased gross vehicle weights in order to increase productivity.
Operators will also want the uncertainties dispelled. Mr. Mulley's chief, Mr. Anthony Crosland, has apparently expressed some doubt about the 44-ton-gross figure for artics; surely the industry is entitled to some definite indication as to how the Government intends to proceed. The difference in thinking between Mr. Mulley and Mr. Crosland can only increase the doubt which already exists.
GLC pledge
Mr. Desmond Plummer, announcing that agreement had been reached regarding the takeover of the London Transport undertaking, pledged on Tuesday that the Greater London Council would ensure the provision of a reliable and efficient system of public transport in London. He must not, however, underestimate the problems he faces if he is to fulfil his pledge.
London Transport has suffered in recent years because the management allowed the situation to arise in which the busmen—among the most militant in the world—almost literally ran the undertaking. For years there was near stagnation of development because the union leaders refused to co-operate with the management. It was only in the final years of the last Tory Government that LTB began—at the instruction of the Government—to try to reassert themselves as the masters and not the servants of the busmen. This policy has been continued by the Labour Government.
The GLC must not only clear the streets of traffic congestion—it must foster improved staff/management relationships. We wish the new Executive and the GLC well in this task—one which should be aided by the appointment of Mr. Sidney J. Barton to the Executive.