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`DoE must aid Mid-East hauliers'
Page 4
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by CM reporter THE Department of the Environment is not doing enough to help British operators who are engaged on Middle East traffic; they require an intelligence service similar to that enjoyed by the Eastern Europeans, according to Mr John Phillips, managing director of Anglo-Balkan Carriers Ltd, of Felixstowe. "Quite frankly, Commercial Motor has done more in the past few weeks in this respect than any of the government departments or trade associations," he told me this week.
He has also proposed a carriers' " consortium " to handle Middle East traffic.
Recently Mr Phillips wrote to Mr Fred Mulley (CM April 18) pointing out that misuse of haulage permits was damaging the growth of Britain's Middle East trade and asking the Minister to take action. He also asked that bona fide operators should be kept up to date with changing regulations and conditions which affected Middle East traffic.
Mr Phillips told CM this week : "I am most disappointed with the Department's reply; they acknowledged that there is misuse of permits and go on to suggest that hauliers should provide detailed information on the offenders. My view is that we should not be asked to act as informants or enforcement officers for the DoE. That is their job.
" The important part of my letter was where I asked for advice and assistance for those who are operating legally. It is common knowledge that the high proportion of overland traffic between the UK and the Middle East is transported by third-country carriers, notably from the Eastern Bloc." Mr Phillips contends that these operators are better informed than British operators.
The DoE appears to take the view that the onus lies with the operators. In their reply to Mr Phillips' letter they say that the best advice they can give is that operators should "make their drivers aware of the con ditions and problems they may experience in the countries they are visiting."
On Tuesday before Mr Phillips left for an extended tour of the Middle East and Eastern Europe, he told CM: "I have written to Mr. R. E. G. Dawson, Head of the Road Freight Division at the DoE, pressing for the establishment of an intelligence service. In the meantime I intend to look at the situation at first hand, but it should be appreciated that not every operator is in a position .to do this."
Mr Phillips has also contacted Mr R. P. Duffy, secretary of the Road Haulage Associa-, tion international group, proposing the establishment of a Middle East Carriers Conference Agreement (Road). It would operate similar to the deep sea shipping conferences by providing operators with traffic, guarantees of payment and correct documentation.
It is understood that the intention is initially to engage 120 tractive units from established British operators who would receive 50 per cent o the rate when the vehicle wa loaded, a further 20 per cen against a certificate of ship ment and the balance on pre sentation of a signed CM1 note as proof of delivery.
Mr Phillips has contacte RHA members who are pro spective participants in thi " MECCA " organisation are he told me that an intemationa trailer rental company an Lloyd's insurance brokers ar preparing separate proposal for group schemes. Lloyd' scheme would cover the issu of the Carnets de Passage %rail for Middle East countries CMR coverage, specia vehicle coverage for Middl East and insurance for medical repatriation, driver replace ment resulting from acciden and vehicle recovery. Standen forms of agreement fo hauliers, shippers and for warders participating in th conference will be ready fo signature in about four weeks According to Mr Phillips more than 30 operators hay already expressed interest.