So Little, Yet So Much
Page 37
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THE Lorry Driver of the Year Competition is bulging at the seams. Some of the honorary officials who hold together the fabric of the organization are working under great stress , and unless they can be relieved the stitches may burst, and the future of a valuable contest may be placed in danger. So little money is required to guarantee its position, yet it is so difficult to secure. At present the burden of organizing the final competition falls upon the honorary secretary of the national committee, who is road, safety officer and public relations officer of Coventry, and his small staff, working in an overcrowded office. They promote also the Coventry eliminating round, on which the whole contest was founded.
Whilst it may be reasonable for the citizens of Coventry to pay the salaries of officials who run the local event, they can hardly be expected to continue indefinitely to provide out of their own pockets the secretariat for the final. Only those intimately concerned can understand the great amount of detail work involved, and appreciate the unselfish devotion of the officials, who undertake it without extra remuneration. The insignificant sum of £1,000 a year guaranteed to the organizing committee would enable them to pay Coventry City Council at least half the salary of an additional official to assist with the organizing, and defray certain other expenses.
The Commercial Motor suggested several years ago that, as the competition was making a vital contribution to road safety by raising the standard of skill of professional drivers, the Ministry of Transport should give a grant of £1,000 a year to the organizers. Unofficial overtures of this kind are understood to have been made, but the approach is difficult. The Ministry's funds for its own safety propaganda schemes are pitifully small, but in the Lorry Driver of the Year Competition there is a strong case for a special grant from the Treasury.
It is in no sense a sporting event, but is dedicated solely to the saving of life on the roads. There are more than a million professional drivers in Great Britain, and by their actions they can not only save life by avoiding accidents, but they can set an example to the many other drivers of lesser ability. If the Government cannot find a paltry sum to enable this work to continue and grow, they are insincere in their attitude towards road safety. .
Meanwhile, enthusiastic honorary officials and committee men persevere in their efforts to make the competition more widespread and attractive, and a still more effective measurement of drivers' skill and knowledge of safety practices. There is hope that three more eliminating centres may be set up this year, but it is disquieting to learn of doubt about the possibility of continuing the old-established Portsmouth round, because of a shortage of secretarial staff.