Tories Re-affirm Freedom of Choice
Page 44
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FROM OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
LAST week-cnd, the Conservative Party reaffirmed its faith in transport competition. But at the same time it urged the industry to modernize itself.
In a glossy publication called " Movement " (1s. 6d.), Mr. Marples and his party planners laid their blueprint for the election, and hit the Socialists hard for wanting to put the clock back.
The Government's transport principles were defined as:
1. The customer must be free to choose which of the available means of transport he will use. It is not for government to dictate how the public should travel, or send its goods.
2. Conditions must be created in which each form of transport can fully develop its individual—often unique— characteristics, so that it can carry the passengers or freight for which it is best fitted technically.
3. There must be effective co-ordination between the various forms of transport, so as to see that the reasonable needs of the consumer in cost, service, speed, etc., are satisfactorily met without extravagant use of national resources.
In a foreword to the pamphlet, Mr. Marples says that once the necessary studies have been carried out, action must be the order of the day. "We want speed in execution plus value for money spent."
The Tory plan, says the Minister, is to encourage the providers of transport, both public and private, to run economic services which by merit are capable of attracting the consumer. "We believe ", he continues, "that each form of transport must modernize itself by making full use of technical developments and, through healthy competition, carry out the role to which it is technically best suited. We must also be prepared to recognize and encourage entirely new methods of transport, such as hovercraft."
Mr. Marples says the. Conservatives reject the Socialist plan for an " integrated " transport system because it is based on rigid state control which opposes private competition, is incompatible with free choice for the consumer, and would lead to higher transport costs.
"The Labour Party is firmly committed to the renationalization of road haulage",
says the Minister, "while Mr. Harol, Wilson has indicated his party vvoul, impose distance limits on Aand ti licence holders. On past experience, thes would be crippling limits, which woul, cause the licence holders to wither awa and so save the cost of buying them.
The pamphlet makes disappointin reading in its examination of rural bu transport. "Views differ on what is th right policy. The Jack Committee set ui by the Government did not reach . unanimous answer." This decision, it i indicated, must be deferred until th Minister has studied the results of hi special surveys.
Smoke TiaiERE was no immediate prospect n meter to measure smoke from th roadside, but the possibility of usin meters attached to the exhaust pipe as means of enforcing a statutory standar of smoke emission was being investigate( Mr. Marples told Mr. Rupert Speir i the Commons on Monday.
In the past 15 months, said th Minister in reply to another questio from Mr. Spelt-, 50.559 diesel-engine vehicles had been observed in roadsid checks, of which 5,684 were considere to be emitting too much smoke. these, 3,170 qualified for delayed prohi bition notices and 138 for immediat prohibitions. In local checks betwee June and October this year, 180 imm( diate and 1,863 delayed prohibitions wet issued. (See also page 38.) Dangerous Loads '11HE idea of banning dangerous load I from the highways met with a coc response from Mr. Thomas Galbraitl Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministr of Transport, in the Commons this week. Mr. George Darling (Labour, Hills borough) asked that road tankers carryin dangerous gases, explosives or spirit should be prohibited from travelling i convoy but was told that the transpot of dangerous substances of this kind wa regulated by acts which were the respon sibility of the Home Secretary.