Richards will put her cross next to Labour.
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"The Government should start to do something about setting a rate for owner-drivers," she says. "We are not being paid a fair rate for the job.
"We don't need more roads, we need to make better use of what we've got. That means getting the cars off the roads by providing more buses and trains. But public transport prices keep rising and that drives people back on to the roads which are getting clogged up.
"We're bottom of the pile for everything. I sometimes think a transport strike would be a good thing, but we would never stick together. Half the time, these days, you don't even get thanks for a job well done.
"I'm all for the Government providing more training, especially for drivers. There's such a lot of potential that's just not being tapped. People have lost their enthusiasm, they just want to survive," says Richards.
"Maybe we should go back to the unions again. But I don't like the Transport & General Workers' Union very much," she adds, "it's too big and the people at the top just don't care, just like the bosses. Where does all that leave the little manr she asks.
"I've always been a Conservative in the past, but I'm beginning to wonder, now. The big firms are getting bigger and bigger and forcing the small firms out. Put me down for Labour," says Richards.
"I've been listening to the politicians on Radio 4 until I'm absolutely sick of it," she says.
"I'm more interested in the election for a new general-secretary of the United Road Transport Union. David Higginbottom sounds good. He wants to see the union develop a model truckstop, and release union funds to help drivers."
Tutton has decided, marginally, to vote Conservative. He wants them to stop diesel taxation for a start: "Industries using coal and steel don't face a tax increase every budget."
He also wants more to be spent on roads: "Rail is an outdated way of transporting goods and I can't understand why people persist in thinking it can replace road haulage," he argues.
He has raised some of these points with his local Tory MP. "He's very sympathetic, when you speak to him. Basically, I feel they are more for free enterprise than Labour."
Alan Jones, TNT managing director, UK.
Jones will vote Tory. He thinks what the transport industry needs most is people making and selling goods — in other words, a thriving economy. "The penal tax rates we would see under Labour would be likely to depress the economy," he believes.
Jones wants the Al turned into motorway, all the way from London to Edinburgh. That would relieve the M6 in the way the M40 extension has let traffic run more smoothly on the MI., he says. But he doesn't believe either party would take up his scheme.
Williamson's vote goes to the Conservatives, but he has quite a shopping list of things he wants them to do. Just as Chancellor Norman Lamont's Budget brought in a quick payment law for sub-contractors working on government projects, he would like to see general legislation to force large companies to pay small firms promptly. "A lot of hard working small companies go out of business because customers who can pay, don't pay," he says.
The law should also be changed to protect sub-contractors from middle-men, he believes. German haulage law states that at least 77% of the original rate must go to the haulier carrying the goods and something similar should be introduced in Britain, to replace the policy of "let the market decide", he says.
He wants the banks brought to heel, too: "As soon as the sun shines they give you an umbrella, but as soon as it rains they take it away." And he wants to see the Government promote the image of road haulage, for a change.
Despite the lure of Labour's first year tax allowance, he'd still prefer the Conservatives. "Labour would be more inclined to look to rail," he argues.
"If you are in haulage long-term, and you have had an exceptionally good year, you can go out and buy and clear some of your tax bill." He'd like to see the level permanently set at 60%. Her vote goes with the Conservatives. She wants diesel prices brought into line with the rest of Europe. That would be a significant boost as we develop into Europe," she says. She also wants 44 tonnes, for the same reason.
Tax rebates should be available for companies taking environmental issues seriously. That would reduce the threshold for environmental investment, she argues.
Despite her decision to vote Tory, Jenkins is impressed by aspects of Labour's commitment to bringing in incentives for companies to train their employees: "It's so important to have good, qualified, trained people."
Overall, she's impressed by a lot of what Labour is saying. But she'll vote blue "because Labour would immediately stop spending on roads".
Inevitably, he will vote Labour. "The Tories have done nothing for drivers, or for that matter the industry as a whole. It has underfunded the Vehicle Inspectorate, and with it safety regulation of the industry: it would do nothing to improve driver services on motorways. It is putting UK drivers more and more out of step with the rest of Europe on terms and conditions. They basically want a cheap labour economy," he says.
"By contrast, Labour is committed to providing refreshment and relaxation areas for lorry drivers and would almost certainly step up checks on illegal hauliers. It would also sign the Social Chapter, giving the UK more influence in Brussels to reduce working hours and increase break periods." Osbottrne's vote goes to Labour, on the strength of its pledge to bring back 40% 1 first-year tax allowa ces immediately, albeit for a limited p riod. "That's a good thing for business," says the Rotherham-based haulier.
"I am trying to renew my fleet after three years, so the allowance would improve our cash flow. The present tax system isn't holding back the development of the business, but we would be more comfortable."
Barry Pitts — Leeds-based owner-driver, working for the Tibbett and Britten Group.
Ignoring the option of a proxy, Pitts says he doubts he will vote because "I'm liable to be 200 miles away from home on polling day".
But, he says: "Fuel-duty is a major issue. Everyone is trying to keep rates to a bare minimum, yet every year the Chancellor slaps a higher tax on hauliers' largest cost element.
"I've just had an 'Irishman's increase' of 3% on my rates, while the 3% surcharge for fuel, which I've had since the Gulf War, has been taken away. I wouldn't mind so much, but the increases in the price of fuel have increased my total costs around 1%.
"I don't think any of the parties are any good for haulage," he says.
So who will he vote for? "It might be nice to give the Liberals a bash. But I don't think any of them are good for haulage and I doubt if I'll vote."