Concerted Effort Vital
Page 39
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NO official report, not even that of the Royal Commission on Transport, has caused such a commotion amongst all classes as that which was recently issued by the Conference on Road and Rail Transport. In niany quarters certain of the recommendations have been received not only with surprise, but with consternation. Fleet owners, transport contractors, ancillary users, ;general traders: agriculturists and passenger road-transport interests are all awakening to a realization of the far-reaching effects which any legislation based upon the report may have, not only upon owners of transport, but upon general trade and the consumer.
We have already pointed out the many inconsistencies which show themselves in the recommendations, and the fact that the increases in taxation would affect the ancillary user to a far greater extent than those against whom the railway § are really endeavouring to aim their blows. It is an absurdity that the smaller the mileage covered. by the vehicle the greater will be the incidence of taxation. We know that this has always been the case, but it was not so pronounced when the proportion of taxation obtained from the fuel-was much greater than that resulting from the licensing of the vehicle.
Now is the time for the various associations • representing ancillary users, hauliers, road in terests, agriculturists, traders and, others to get . together to formulate some concerted policy. The strongest possible pressure should be ; brought -0 bear upon Members of Parliament_ and the public enlightened as to the probable course. of ,events.
. It is the official bodies which must bury their . self-interests and put up a determined fight, not only for road transportas a whole, but for their own existence. If they do not, on this occasion, show that those who control them are rnore'than figure heads, their members will, we are sure, express their disapproval in no uncertain terms.
As a newspaper, The Commercial Motor is doing all that it can to ventilate the various views and to give indications as to how the fight should be conducted. We instigated the formation of the Long Distance Road Haulage Committee, the outcome of which is the Road Haulage Association, but, having done so, we ceased to take an active part in this association because we do not consider that it is within the province of any one section of the Press to engage in activities which should be the prerogative of the direct representatives of the interests concerned. Any other procedure 'would tend to give the . public and the opposing factions the impression that the work was not being carried out solely in the interest of the cause concerned.