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PRIVATE FACES
Page 5
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• This week we caught a rare glimpse of that age-old political phenomenon, the public face in a public place at odds with the public face in its private place. When draft copies of Paul Channon's speech to the Freight Transport Association were distributed to the press it seemed that at long last a positive statement would be made on 40 tonnes. Yet when he finally got up to speak, Channon certainly didn't read the text word for word ... indeed in many cases the real meat was left at the side of the plate.
Judging by the draft, the DTp was clearly keen to put the record straight on 40 tonnes. Channon's text read: "The Government's position on 40-tonne lorries is perfectly clear.., a move from 38 to 40 tonnes does not, in itself, have any adverse impact on the environment. And the impact of a move from a 10.5-tonne axle weight limit to 11.5 tonnes is not serious enough to justify resisting."
At long last, here was proof that a full Cabinet minister was prepared to grasp the 40-tonne nettle. And then, surprise, surprise, Channon lost his nettle on the night and waffled around the text, completely omitting vital parts of the statement his own office had written, approved and distributed to the press. Why?
Surely the nettle is still not too painful to grasp. Perhaps there was another reason. So-called "selective leaks" to the press have been the hallmark of the Thatcher years. Is this another example of the Government forestalling public outcry by telling us the course of future policy, without actually pinning its colours to the mast? Weak bridges were mentioned of course, along with road safety, cost to industry and the rest. So what's new? The FTA has been the courageous champion of 40 tonnes for well over a year now, out on a limb, yelling good and loud. It deserved Channon's nod, albeit a confused and confusing nod. Let's wait and see if this ridiculously clandestine move towards 40 tonnes actually breaks cover soon — certainly no later than the next Council of Transport Ministers meeting in Europe this June.
There is no justification for continuing to lag behind the rest of Europe. Let's run with the leaders of the pack for a change.
PAY PEANUTS . .
• The leaders of the pack are way out in front on pay too. Why should Britain's drivers be the poorest in Europe? It is a shameful slur on our road transport industry that we continue to treat our drivers so badly. Their transport cafes are (with a few notable exceptions) a dwindling bunch of dirty and inadequate roadside shacks; their training opportunities are inadequate and their pay packets insulting. If our haulage industry does not wake up soon and improve the driver's lot and his training facilities, it will be flattened by better paid, better trained and better motivated Continental competitors.
You have been warned. Pay peanuts...