Give transport top EEC priority, urges FTA report
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• The Freight Transport Association's annual report, published this week, urges the Government to place transport at the top of its priorities in influencing future EEC policy. The report will be presented to the members at the annual general meeting on April 25 at the London Hilton.
The FTA considers that there is still much misunderstanding of the full effects 01 Europe on domestic transport. "At th( legislative level, it is still not generall) appreciated that the Common Transpor Policy regulates domestic as well a! international transport so that the whole o UK transport legislation could be revolutionized."
While welcoming the time lag betweet Britain's entry and its effect on domestii transport — 1976 — the Association say that it is shorter than might have bee; hoped for. It goes on to point out tha British operators going into Europe• ma: find that some aspects of the legislatior notably control of transport rates, are likel to apply long before 1976.
Liaison machinery The FTA, which favours a libert approach to licensing, urges th Government to exert maximum influenc during the present formulative stages, and has built up its own liaison machinery bot at home and in Europe with the CB UNIC, the International Road Transpo, Union and the DoE.
On the home front the FTA points ot that it faced a major task in seekir balanced solutions in the area of confli■ between transport and the environment. TI report states that the Association accep. that some compromise must be found an pledges its support for reasonable contro on the size, weight and noise of vehicles.
The Association's funds for the ye; ended December 31 1971 show substantial increase of more than £58,00 mainly accounted for by the increase market value of its quoted securities.
Membership stands at 14,338 and the was a 12 per cent increase in membe using the inspection service, which is reflect( in a 85 per cent first-time pass at vehic testing stations.
New Scottish m-way
• The new M73 (trunk road) motorw; will be opened on Monday April 10.
The motorway runs almost due north f six miles from an interchange on t Glasgow-Carlisle A74/M74) road at Mat vile, near Uddingston to link up with t Glasgow-Stirling (A80) trunk road on t outskirts of Mollinsbum village. It form an essential part of the main motorw route from the South to Central a Northern Scotland and will act as an east( by-pass of Glasgow.