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Gordon Hands
• Gordon Hands, who recently succeeded Eddie Barber as chairman of the RHA's public relations committee, has taken on a difficult task. The RHA speaks for a large sector of the professional haulage industry and must accept some responsibility for standards of member firms in projecting the image of road transport. Even the activities of non-member firms cannot be totally divorced from the PR function.
I asked Gordon Hands how he would react if it were suggested that the RHA should compensate third parties suffering from the acts or omissions of a member firm. Would he favour the establishment of a fund, for example, to compensate the many motorists whose tyres could be ruined by the discharge of a load of metal swarf on a motorway?
His reaction was swift: "Why not? If it is an insurable risk—and most risks are insurable—it might be helpful to do something on these lines."
Mr Hands is keen to improve standards of drivers' accommodation and lorry parking arrangements. As a member of the Road Transport catering and Accommodation committee —RNA, FTA and Trade Unions—he is in a good position to nag the Ministry of Transport and local authorities to take decisions at the planning stage to facilitate the building of drivers' hostels, etc. He regrets that the committee has only met twice in five years and is pressing Ken Jackson of the TGWU, among others, for an early meeting.
From his office near Moorgate in London, Gordon Hands controls two sizeable vehicle fleets—a general haulage fleet mainly carrying semi-precious metals—and an ownaccount operation where loads are light, bulky plastic pipes and fabrications. He shares with all transport managers their administrative burdens and hopes the RHA will soon make available to all small hauliers simplified costing yardsticks.
We discussed the difficulties of applying minimum cost tariffs throughout the industry: Mr Hands would welcome industry-wide discussion of this thorny problem—made so topical by the costly safety requirements of legislation
Amenity aspects will certainly impinge on his term of office. As an Essex countryman whose hobby is the preservation of walking rights of way, and who strongly opposed the choice of Stansted as London Airport. 3. Gordon Hands will not be out of his depth in battling for the rights of hauliers in an amenity, conscious age. For he loves transport and its
pec-ple. J.D.