K.C. Turner,
Page 15
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
chairman, Road Transport Industry Training Board.
The Road Transport Industry Training Board is but a little older than the old year which we look upon as a period of foundation building. Our most important day in 1967 was the official opening of our headquarters, Capitol House. by the Minister of Transport in the presence of leaders from the industry, trades union representatives and educationists.
The transport industry finds itself in the midst of much change, some of which is controversial, but there can be no argument about the need for investing in training if our industry is to prosper.
In sending our greeting to the industry. I look forward to the Board being of real service in 1968. 1967 has been the year of the Transport Bill. Some of the measures such as quality licensing are all to the good. However, quantity licensing and road fund tax proposals are fundamentally unsound. At best they would cause increased freight costs and a resultant unnecessary rise in the cost of manufactured goods just when the U. K is trying to become more competitive in the world market. At worst they would force freight on to rail which is totally ill equipped to handle it: cause major disruption if not economic peril to export orientated commercial vehicle manufacturers; result in nationalization without compensation for the road hauliers: and conceivably cause transporters to use two small uneconomical vehicles where one large economic vehicle would do better resulting in more rather than less congestion and higher rather than lower costs. It just is not sound business. Legislative dictum cannot replace free market forces.