RHA is divided on licensing issue
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from a special correspondent • On Wednesday the national executive council of the Road Haulage Association met to discuss the results of its referendum on Britain's licensing policy for Europe (CM March 17). At the time of going to press the council's decision was not known and from a CM survey of RHA areas it seemed unlikely that any definite conclusion would be reached.
Area opinion—and in some cases subarea opinion—is sharply divided between the liberal policy of 0 licensing and the more restrictive policy of quantity licensing which is in existence in Europe. However, in both cases members want the systems modified.
One factor to come out of the referendum is that RHA members believe that entry to the industry is still much too easy and that tighter controls must be exercised, although they are unable to produce any system which would prove conclusively whether or not an applicant for an 0 licence was a fit person. Those who support the European policy do so on the basis that it would restrict the activities of own-account operators and would preclude them from hire and reward work.
Only a handful of areas have had time to discuss the matter at sub-area level and a decision taken now cannot be representative of the entire membership. Operators have expressed the opinion that the matter could be fully aired at the Association's conference at Eastbourne in October.