Doubts on Bill

26th May 1978, Page 19

26th May 1978

Page 19

Page 19, 26th May 1978 — Doubts on Bill

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THE TRANSPORT Bill has been changed to ensure that British Rail will not be able to go into the road haulage business ... but there are still some doubts that the safeguards inserted by the Government are 100 per cent watertight. _ When the Bill went through its final stages in the Commons last week, Transport Minister William Rodgers produced an amendment restricting the road operations of the railways to replace the hotlycontested amendment which was eventually withdrawn during the earlier committee stage. This new move allows the Rail Board to use its container vehicles to carry any containers, on condition that this is done only to achieve more productive use of the vehicles. The Minister will be able to ask the Board to include in its annual report details of how they have exercised these powers.

THIRTY-TWO ton lorries will probably cost the country 0% million more than they contribute in taxation during this year.

William Rodgers, Transport Minister, said in the Commons last week that the 71,000 vehicles would provide an estimated £2,850,000 in revenue, while their estimated public road costs would be £3,350,000.

The comparable figures for the 11,000 30-ton vehicles are £2,700,000 and £2,990,000.