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Do you warn to comment on any of the stories in Commercial Motor? Does someone in the industry deserve a pat on the back—or a public dressing down? Or is there simply something you want to say to our readers? Don't keep it to yourself —drop us a line at CM Letters, Rm H203, Quadrant House. The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS. Alternatively, you can fax your letter to us on 0181 852 8971 or e-mail if to Letters may be edited for length and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor. Misleading account of RHA conference Jdon't believe there is a single delegate at the RHA's Annual Conference who would have recognised David Craik's account of it (CM 2228 Oct). Except, that is, for your revered publisher Geoff Hadwick who was, of course, one of our guest speakers.
We knew in advance that his presentation (which we asked to be provocative) would contain the phrase "creeping to politicians". It was duly delivered. Unfortunately for your report, but perhaps predictably, not one single delegate agreed with the idea that talking to the Government and other Mrs was a waste of our time. They recognised the obvious truth that it is governments that make policy and only they can change it.
Actually, Geoff had rather a hard time at the hands of our delegates. Your article failed to mention another of his gems—a "can't pay, won't pay" campaign.
That lasted all of two minutes, until delegates reminded him that the biggest burden on hauliers is fuel duty, and a refusal to pay that is unlikely to promote the effectiveness of any haulage business.
What is certainly true is that many hauliers felt that if the fuel rallies are not sufficient to change Government's mind, we have to move our campaign on. We laid out a programme of rallies, parliamentary lobbies and visits to ministers in their constituencies which we believe will press home our case responsibly, legally and powerfully.
Brian Weatherley is in dangerous territory when he suggests hauliers should "join the awkward squad out on the street". If that means what I think, then I simply and sincerely disagree.
Geoff Hadwick was talking of the need for a "make-over" of the industry. He is quite right that we are not warmly regarded by the public. So how do we go about improving our image? Well, try blocking roads and streets so as to inconvenience ordinary motorists and frustrate every single member of the public who, amazingly, may not understand all of the issues that affect us quite as clearly as we do. Come off it, Brian. Even Trans-Action has recognised that if you want to show muscle you have to show it democratically and peacefully. It has called for a mass lobby of Parliament. We are arranging exactly such a lobby so responsible hauliers can take their case to Westminster.
Time for a different approach? Well, not if it is the one recommended by Commercial Motor. Because the essential user rebate has not yet been adopted by Government, some hauliers assume it is dead. That is simply not true.
The idea is now official opposition policy, as Bernard Jenkin MP, the shadow Transport Minister, told the Tory Conference in Bournemouth three weeks ago, and Government ministers are now aware that it is not a proposition they can walk away from.
We believe our careful hard work, much of which is necessarily behind the scenes, will succeed. Success will not come easily, nor is it likely to be immediate.
We shall need every single voter to understand the issues before we can guarantee our success. That is why the editor of a responsible trade magazine might better have advised hauliers to support RHA chairman John Bridge's call for contributions to the RHA fighting fund, specifically set up to take our message to a wider audience, rather than counselling tactics which are inevitably going to outrage electors and give Messrs Blair and Prescott exactly the propaganda coup they are looking for: seeing off those unpleasant, dangerous bully boys whose lorries pollute our children's lungs and who have so little sense of social responsibility that they will paralyse a town centre without any thought of the consequences.
Need I say more? Yes: the industry needs leadership. It also needs cool heads and sensible strategy. The RHA strives to meet these challenges. Isn't it about time CM did the same?
Steven Norris,
Road Haulage Association,