• CONIMENT ELECTION APATHY
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• Whichever date the Prime Minister chooses for the next general election, road hauliers should not get too excited, judging by the latest policy rumblings. Both the Labour front bench transport spokesman, and the Conservative Transport Secretary — normally holders of diametrically opposite views — have gone on record as being totally against any increase in vehicle weights — let alone to 40 tonnes.
The only really practical news from any of the political parties is that they all want to spend more on roads and infrastructure, which could improve the efficiency of industry in general and road transport in particular. It would also help the driver stuck in a long traffic jam on outdated roads which were not designed to take today's traffic flows.
Unfortunately, promising to spend money on roads before an election is not the same as actually spending money on roads after an election.
The most disturbing aspects of the latest party promises are Labour's desire to change drivers hours' rules to pacify the TGWU, and the Alliance's wish to ban trucks from residential areas. Both smack more of quick vote-catching than well-conceived policy making.
Faced with an almost universal lack of interest, from all the parties, in the real needs of road transport, hauliers could be forgiven for becoming slightly cynical. They are more likely to forget about any vague pre-election promises and simply get on with the job of moving 85% of the nation's goods.