New permit uproar
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AN EXTRA 350 international haulage permits for Hungary have been obtained by the Government for this year — but operators have attacked the way in which they will be allocated. The extra permits will be issued to hauliers who have been using the German road rail system as a way to beat the permit clampdown, the Department of Transport revealed this week.
Deutches Bundesbahn — the German Federal Railways increased the number of trains on the Cologne to Llubjana route to three a week as news of the extra supply of permits came through.
And the Freight Transport Association condemned the arrangement by which the permits would go to hauliers who had been users of the rail system.
"We have consistently expressed our dislike of a system that forces traffic to use the rail system. The system should attract business on its own merits not because there is a permits shortage," said an FTA spokesman.
The Road Haulage Association described their reaction to the news as "mixed". A spokesman told CM: "Any increase in the quota is welcome but there is still a grave shortage.
"It seems that drivers will be able to get two runs for the price of one. They will be able to go on the train and then they will get a Hungarian permit to make another journey later," said that spokesman.
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