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25th March 1966, Page 23
25th March 1966
Page 23
Page 23, 25th March 1966 — The choice is yours
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

E Government elected next Thursday could have a profound effect on the structure of transport and everyone connected with the industry should have clearly in mind the possible implications. Neither of the two major parties has said very much more about transport policy than was already known, and there has been a remarkable absence of any form of commentary by road transport interests on the subject. The Conservative Party certainly would not seek to extend State control of road transport and direction of traffic from one form of transport to another. There is some doubt as to what, if any, of the Geddes Committee report recommendations it would implement if returned to power; but the worst it could do would be to abolish all forms of carriers' licensing.

Would the haulage industry really suffer grievously in this event? The worst evils of unbridled competition might not occur and the entry of new blood might be no bad thing for the industry—after all the last major transfusion occurred in the post-1953 period during denationali7ation.

The alternative is the Labour Party's announced intention to set up a National Freight Authority. No matter what they say, the Socialists' intent is quite obvious. "Back to 1947" is their battle cry. The thinking behind this new Authority is plainly to reestablish the hierarchy of the old British Transport Commission and to remove autonomy from the existing, well-ordered, individual operating Boards. They barely disguise the fact that traffic would be artificially forced on to the railways regardless of national economics and of customers' preference. Would they leave the C-licensed industry alone? That surely is a question that needs no answer.

There is much more to it than this; but the choice is clear cut. People working in or connected with the road transport industry obviously will have in their minds many reasons for the way in which they cast their votes next Thursday. It is up to them, individually, to decide how important in their lives is the future of road transport. Is it to go forward with a reasonable degree of healthy competition and technical development? Or is it to return to the stagnation of the doctrinaire days of nationalization at any cost to the nation?

COMMERCIAL MOTOR is not concerned with politics; but it is passionately concerned with the future of road transport. That future will be jeopardized if the Labour Party is returned to power with a working majority.


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