International Target for Road Transport
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T"Economic and Social Council of U.N.O. recently finished its summer session in Geneva. Amongst the decisions taken was the important one to call a world conference for next summer, to include a special convention on road transport.
It is hoped that this will deal with agreements on customs formalities, both for vehicles and their loads, compulsory third-party insurance, maximum weights and dimensions of vehicles, fiscal charges, a standard road transport waybill' and uniform traffic rules.
Preliminary work on these subjects is being performed at Geneva under the auspices of the Inland Transport Committee of the Economic Commission for Europe. A series of working parties comprised of Government delegates and others from various international organizations will, towards the end of this year, present a report of their findings to the Road Transport Sub-committee of E.C.E. for its final consideration.
Prominent amongst the international organizations taking' part in these meetings is the International Road Transphrt Union (1.R.0 ),37, Quai Wilson, Geneva, the president of which is Dr.
F. E. Spat. The main object of this body is the furtherance of national and international road transport interests.
It welcomes the active support and co-operation of every member of the industry, and is pressing for the recognition of freedom of the road by the Governments of all European countries. For the trade of Europe to get on its feet, all classes of road transport vehicle must be free to move with the minimum of formalities.
Europe should be covered by a network of bus lines with possibilities of through bookings and a synchronized scheme of arrivals and departures. This should be co-ordinated with other means for transport, so that a visitor from overseas can buy one ticket and be assured of a place in aeroplanes, ships, buses and hotels throughout the trip. In principle, I.R.I.I. is concerned with bus and truck traffic. It was established in May, 1947, as the International Bus and Lorry Transport Office—Bureau International de Transports par Autoca.r et Camion (B.I.T.A.C), but was reconstituted as LR.U. at Geneva in March, 1948. It has members in Austria-, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, dnd maintains close relations with other countries.