1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168 
The departure lounge
Page 3
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Feeling bored and out of sorts? Why not try our topical Commercial Motor Quiz: Name the last five ministers to hold the title -Transport Secretary"? Gotcha! Of course, it's a trick question. There have only been four past Secretaries of State for Transport since 2002. Before that, we had a single 'Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions', who followed four Ministers of State with responsibility for Transport' under the 'Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions', who succeeded 11 'Secretaries of State for Transport', who followed a 'Minister for Transport', who followed... OK, you get the picture. In fact, since 1979 we've had lendured?! no fewer than 20 politicians running UK Transport PLC, and where has it got us? Discuss using both sides of the paper [should that be necessary!. So welcome Geoff Hoon, former Chief Whip, to the position of Transport Secretary Much is expected of him. Indeed, the ETA says it "Looks to Noon for leadership!" Don't we all? Only what's he going to deliver that Ruth Kelly, Douglas Alexander or Alistair Darling didn't before him? Lorry Road User Charging, an Essential User Rebate, Longer Heavier Vehicles? Let's be serious now.
Sadly, based on our previous experlence, it's hard to disagree with the popular view that Marsham Street is anything other than the departure lounge for politicians on the way up... or down. Moreover, given the fact that Britain needs a viable, coherent and sustainable transport strategy we're reminded of the words of the French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau who declared: "War is much too important to be left to the Generals.Ditto the Department for Transport and pollticians. We wonder how much difference Mr Hoer wll really make...
Brian Weatherley
Commercial Motor the official UK journal of the Internationai Truck of the Year and International Van of the Year Awards