Reduce truck driving age,
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• The Freight Transport Association has repeated its strong request to the Department of the Environment to reduce the minimum age for drivers of heavy goods vehicles, suggesting the following pattern:— Class 3 and 3a (two-axle vehicle)-18 yrs. Class 2 and 2a (multi-axle vehicle)-19 or 20 Class 1 and la (articulated vehicle)-21.
If no such reduction is made, says the FTA, there will be a serious shortage of goods vehicle drivers by 1973.
Objections by the Department to any reduction are based on insurance and general accident statistics which point to a greater accident risk with younger age groups, but in FTA's view these statistics are not valid in that they refer to periods before the introduction of the hgv driving test and the detailed training that is required to pass thi test.
Employment of drivers under 21 would be permissive and not mandatory and it would be left to the employer to decide whether his employee was responsible enough to be trusted with such expensive equipment. The process of sensible employer selection should largely eliminate the irresponsible element, with the result that a completely different statistical picture would emerge.
• London Brick Co Ltd, with brickyards in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire areas, has placed an order for about 30 Volvo trucks to add to its fleet of some 800 vehicles, in order to compare performance and running costs with British vehicles.
• British Road Services Ltd is closing its depot in Hereward Street, Bourne, Lines, as from April 1, and 26 employees will have to find other work. The decision to close is stated to be "for economic reasons" and it is possible that some employees may be taken on at other BRS depots in the district.