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State your case
NOW THAT David Howell has said that proposals for heavier vehicle weights will be put before Parliament "in the next couple of weeks," the industry must mount a major final assault on MPs. We have supplied every MP with our assessment of a 38-tonne gross weight vehicle. They know the operating advantages and costs and they have our independent road test reports. There is no excuse for them to advance ill-informed arguments.
The Minister could, if he had wished, have by-passed this stage, for he has the power to lay regulations, and that would have been the end of the matter. However, he has chosen to allow debate. Let it therefore be wellinformed debate.
Operators should write to their MPs this weekend stating the case for heavier vehicles. Arm them with the facts.
Len Payne of Sainsbury's has put his case in irrefutable terms. He has shown that his vehicles could become 33 per cent more productive at 38 tonnes. Surely that is what we all want — higher productivity.
We believe the Minister will get 38 tonnes through the House but nothing is certain. Our advice to the industry is to mount a massive lobby in writing for the big push.