Britain in the EEC ng
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IN the past six months in this series the main political and economic features of the Common Market have been summarized.
In relation to the narrow interests of road transport, the subject matter has ranged far beyond the work-a-day world of transport management. Yet all the various sector policies interact; road transport is only part of a wider transport policy and transport itself is only one thread in a complex tapestry.
The Market was changed with the entry of Britain, Eire and Denmark. The new political voices chiming in with familiar voices of the Six founder members have created a different "harmony". Not least in the complex haggling over road transport policies, the advent of the new countries has made the founder members ask themselves how much of their laboriously contrived transport policies must be retained at all costs.
United States example On the vexed question of axle weights and dimensions it is being realized that the United States — a comparable landmass to Europe — has a complex inter-state trading and communications network without complete standardization of vehicles. Is it sensible to imperil the political unity of the Nine countries over a marginal matter like transport policy?
Important as transport is to transport men, to the politicians and economists it is unlikely to rank with such sacred cows as agricultural policy, still less with community-wide policies for monetary union or defence.
The current Helsinki conference between the Eastern and Western blocs could be of more significance to the developing long-term transport policy than anything that has happened in the last 15 years. If the Cold War were ended permanently the pattern of transport would be transformed. Most transport links were originally laid down with military strategy in mind. Autobahns were specifically designed for the rapid deployment of' troops and tanks.
Waterways make nonsense of national frontiers. In the air the inter-state "corridors" are a ludicrous reminder of national sovereignty. Customs barriers, slowly falling in Community countries, may make possible the vision of Ernest Bevin in his famous free movement speech a generation ago, to which Britain's Foreign Secretary, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, referred at Helsinki.
NIL Public opinion in Britain is changing rapidly in its attitude to the Common Market. A recent poll (Times-ITN) shows that only 35 per cent of the 18-24 age group want Britain to stay in the Market on present terms and only 20 per cent of the 45-64 age group support present entry terms. The number of British people who would pull out of the Market altogether has virtually doubled in the past six months.
All this represents a headache for politicians. Road transport operators and especially Continental hauliers and coach operators have their own staff problem in influencing attitudes.
An EEC attitude survey taken after the summit meeting in Paris last autumn showed that 70 per cent of those over 16 in the Six founder countries favoured a United States of Europe; 64 per cent wanted a European Parliament elected by direct suffrage; and 58 per cent wanted a European government.
Although only 11 per cent wanted such a government to replace national governments altogether, 56 per cent thought a European government should deal with more important questions. The pollsters found few people willing to make financial sacrifices for the sake of European unity, but half of those questioned were willing to abandon national currencies.
Public opinion The attitude of public opinion to the Community is very much in tune with typical transport operators in Britain. The Commission's structure is seen as technical and bureaucratic. To mobilize public opinion, the researchers found that a political programme on a sufficiently grand scale was called for. It must have objectives ordinary people could understand.
It is regrettable that in a list of social and political objectives in order of importance transport was not mentioned in this EEC survey of public opinion. The 14-item list showed people were more interested in high wages than better old age pensions. Workers participation and help for under-developed countries won many votes. Rather more people voted to suppress Capitalism than to fight Communism, though the split of voting here was almost a dead heat.
In the second article (January 12) a list of the EEC secondary legislation affecting transport was given under two headings, (a) Affecting UK operators and users directly and (b) Calling mainly for Government action. Of the major matters still to be expected the system of compulsory forked rates to be applied for goods transport by road between member states may operate from January 1 1974. The EEC hours and record-keeping rules for drivers of goods vehicles or combinations exceeding 3.5 tons gross weight, and drivers of passenger vehicles constructed and equipped to carry more than nine people, and on service routes exceeding 50 km, will apply on. UK domestic journeys from January 1, 1976.
Tachographs From January 1, 1976 tachographs of approved design will have to be fitted to goods and passenger vehicles first registered after this date. The requirement will not apply to goods vehicles or combinations not exceeding 3.5 metric tons gross; to passenger vehicles constructed and equipped to carry fewer than 10 people; or to passenger vehicles on regular services on routes not exceeding 50km.
From January 1, 1976 tachographs will have to be fitted to all vehicles used for the carriage of dangerous goods, whatever the date of their registration.
From January 1, 1978 tachographs of specified performance and construction will have to be fitted to over 3.5-ton goods vehicles and over-nine-passenger vehicles regardless of the date on which they were first registered or used.
Public service From January 1, 1974, where "public service obligations" require the continuance of road, rail or waterway services, the carrier must be compensated, or the public service obligation removed. Generally, this will mainly affect "socially necessary" rail passenger services.
January 1, 1974 is the date from which the UK must keep specific national records of expenditure on infrastructures. From then all member States must harmonize their legislation relating to the insurance of civil liabilities arising from the use of motor vehicles and to the enforcement of the obligation to insure against such liabilities.
As was stated (January 12), in advance of each major piece of transport legislation taking effect, explanatory leaflets and press notices will be published to alert and guide operators. The DoE has just issued Journeys to Europe by Coach or Minibus as a guide to operators of vehicles equipped to carry 10 or more persons, including the driver.