Hard line, 'soft touch
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LEYLAND VEHICLES last weel renewed its appeal for type ap provel to be used to tighten ui on importers standards, wher Industry Secretary Sir Keith Jo seph openened the test tract and technical centre (see p46)
Chairman and managinf. director David Abell told Si Keith that LV is not looking fa import controls, but that it doe: want fairness in the conditionE of trade with trading partners He said he found both the Hinc imports and the actions o European manufacturers pu: Leyland at a disadvantage.
"A Japanese lorry manufac turer is starting up in Britain. Bu no single European manufac turer can start up in Japan. Is that fair?"
And he went on to say tha: European manufacturers regarc Britain as a "soft touch", bu: their Governments still appl) strict type-approval regulations which, for instance, delayed thE Terrier's launch on the French market. "Our Government sits back and allows illegal trucks tc run on the road," he added.
Sir Keith, who had run thE gauntlet of anti-Hino and anti, unemployment protesters be fore opening the centre, said hE was impressed by the effective. ness of Mr Abell's plea, bui offered no more hope than hE had to Confederation 01 Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions officials two days earliei (CM, September 27).
"There would be no problems if it is easy to secure fair trading for all," he said, but added thal he would heed what Mr Abell said.