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HARD TO SURVIVE CURRENT CLIMATE

3rd May 2007, Page 3
3rd May 2007
Page 3
Page 3, 3rd May 2007 — HARD TO SURVIVE CURRENT CLIMATE
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

There has been a lot of talk recently about Creationists not accepting the tenets of Darwinism. While we are not entering into religious debate politics, yes, but never religion the important thing to realise about survival of the fittest is that sometimes it doesn't happen.

Many look at the business world and nonchalantly cite Darwin as though everyone who fails deserves to, and will leave the world better for their passing. Tell that to the species that men have wiped out with guns. Tell that to the one in five transport operators that will go bust this year due to record fuel duty and rising interest rates.

Hauliers are more likely to go bust than any other type of businesses in the UK the sector has a failure rate more than three times the national average.

The companies that fail are not necessarily badly run or inefficient. We are receiving calls from people who have spent decades in the industry, only to decide it is no longer a place they can make money.

The UK economy is not evolving past the need for road transport. Nor, for that matter, is anyone else's. To allow widespread failure in a strategic industry is folly.

As for survival, the truths are widely known. 'Get big or get niche', as the saying goes. Pass your costs on to customers. Work as smart as you can. It may not be much comfort, but it's what Darwin would have wanted.

"Hauliers are more likely to go bust than any other businesses in the UK"

• We've been inundated with your responses to our Lose the Queues campaign so the problem of long waits for annual vehicle tests is clearly widespread.

We are not In the business of criticising Vosa; like the majority of our correspondents we accept that test station staff are doing their best in difficult circumstances. But the present situation must not be allowed to continue: operators have enough problems without having trucks laid up for want of an MoT. More staff, longer opening hours... Vosa management MUST find a way to cut the queues and they must do it now.