Transport competition urged by CBI

27th May 1966, Page 80

27th May 1966

Page 80

Page 80, 27th May 1966 — Transport competition urged by CBI

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AFTER considering the principles that ...should be applied in determining future transport policy from the point of view of industry, the Confederation of British Industry has prepared a document setting down the views of the CBI transport committee. It is pointed out that the British Railways Board holds divergent views and does not associate itself with the memorandum.

Although it is not possible to separate fully all questions of freight and passenger traffic, the memorandum states, this policy statement has been confined substantially to general principles for the movement of freight. A more detailed statement on the different forms of transport will be prepared in due course.

The CBI considers that essential elements of policy for efficient inland transport include:—

(a) the user should continue to have freedom to choose the form of hired transport he will employ and to use transport on own account as well as to hire transport facilities; (b) the dynamic force in inland transport should be competition, with the consequential encouragement to enterprise, so that the quality of the service of transport is progressively improved at the lowest possible cost; (c) all forms of transport should be permitted and encouraged to develop services for the traffic they are suited to carry; (d) traffic should not be directed to any particular form of transport, but the Government, in so far as it lies in its province, should see that the conditions in which the different forms of transport compete are as fair as possible.

Referring to road transport, the memorandum states that the provision of a comprehensive network of fast, heavy-duty motorways, including spurs to the major ports, should have high priority, together with the development of a safe and adequate supporting road system for the increasing volume of vehicles.