'Public haulage sets pace'
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THE public sector in road haulage can set standards in a way that the private sector has been unable to do, declared Transport Minister William Rodgers in the Commons last week.
"In a mixed economy I want to see both sectors prosper," he added.
Questioned about nationalisation, the Minister said that whoever owned the road haulage industry it had a bright future, as long as it provided a service that the country needed.
Pressed by Alastair Goodland (Con, Northwich) to say what advantage would be gained from an extension of nationalisation, Mr Rodgers said that the industry had had a mixed reputation.
The experience of the National Freight Corporation in the great majority of its operations had shown how an effective part of the public sector could be a pace setter.
The Minister agreed with Sydney Bidwell (Labour, Southall) that a new Labour Government would be able to consider the clear commitment to enlarge the public sector in transport.
He believed in a very strong public sector pushing its frontiers forward.