Jekyll and Hyde
Page 34
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DURING the passage of the Transport Act, 1953, through Parliament, Mr. A. T. LennoxBoyd acquired the reputation of being the most conciliatory and approachable Minister of Transport whom the country has ever had. In the House of Commons, on Monday, he displayed the other side of his nature by obstinately refusing to accept the great weight of evidence in favour of raising the speed limit on heavy goods vehicles from 20 m.p.h. to 30 m.p.h. He was, however, unable to give any convincing answer to questioners.
He admitted that representations had been made by organizations of users and manufacturers of commercial vehicles on the grounds that export trade was being hampered and that an increase of the limit was justified by economic considerations. His only reason for dismissing the industry's case • was the lack of agreement on the subject between employers and employees.
That disagreement is built on a shallow foundation. Originally the Transport and General Workers' Union accepted the principle, subject to certain safeguards, and it was only when a minority group began to campaign against the proposal that the Union withdrew their support.
The Government are allowing themselves to be held to ransom by a small section of the community and have not the courage of their own conviction that the limit should be raised. This is not the exhibition of authority that one would expect from an Administration holding a clear majority in Parliament and having the courage to launch far more controversial reforms than a minor increase in a speed limit.