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BRITISH hauliers engaged in international journeys suffer from a badly organised permit quota system.
And the system needs reforming now, said Bob Duffy, International Group Secretary of the Road Haulage Association. He was speaking in Paris last week at the request of the British Chamber of Commerce, French section.
Despite the ever-increasing efficiency of the roll-on/rolloff techniques available to hauliers, road transport between Britain and France is hampered by two main problems — permits and gross vehicle weights.
Mr Duffy claimed that British hauliers are often unable to carry British goods to France, as requested, because they cannot secure a permit.
Whereas French hauliers do not usually use their whole quota of permits, British hauliers do use their full share, and could use more.
Crossing the Channel is getting more and more expensive, thus putting many French hauliers off the idea of operating in Britain.
This means more work for British hauliers, if only they could get the permits.
However, Mr Duffy added he was not in favour of allowing too many permits into the hands of British hauliers. Rather, he said, there should be a fairer distribution of permits.
British hauliers, said Mr Duffy, had sympathy and support for French operators worried about the lower permitted gross vehicle weight in Britain.
"A gross weight of 32 imperial tons is insufficient to allow the full economic use of vehicles in international road transport," said Mr Duffy.
What he wanted to see was a standard maximum vehit weight in all EEC countries ' say 40 metric tonnes." But did not look as though this just around the corner. Mr Duffy also said he 1: lieved there was "a very stria case" for British hauliers international runs to be lowed to carry loads of up to metric tonnes "when vehicles are technically able do so."
And the international se tion of the RHA would co tinue to press for such ; amendment in British legi lation.