Mutual admiration cuts Rile ice
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FOLLOWING the BBC2 Brass Tacks programme "Heavier Metal" (Wednesday, February 15), It is to be hoped that this time, the transport industry as a whole, from groundroots upwards, will react, not sit back with characteristic apathy, and not take lightly one of the most Inaccurate, biased, bigoted and damning attacks on road transport yet to be broadcast.
Hopefully, the vast majority of the industry made it their duty to watch the programme, and have subsequently realised that It is no longer sufficient to assume that the small band of highly professional cage-rattling PR men who commit themselves totally to projecting and improving the image of the industry can, on their own — and with limited resources — counter what the BBC would, no doubt, call objective, factual, editorial reporting.
In short, is it not time our industry got its act together — with the accent on together — and organised a major-scale, properly financed and coordinated campaign aimed directly at the general public, and give the environmental antilorry brigade a really good run for their efforts? After all, we do a wonderful job of convincing our industry of how important and professional we are, but this kind of introvert and egosatisfying PR is totally wasted on the hostile world outside.
Even if the BBC, that bastion of editorial independence and impartiality, were to allow the transport industry the right of reply — and that right surely should be granted — I doubt if we could even begin to repair the damage which has been done already.
If a whole industry campaign were developed — and Commercial Motor for one has had a good hard try — would it get the necessary groundroots support and finance? I doubt it. Would all the interested associations — operator and manufacturer — pool their resources without Intercommittee politics and disagreements? I doubt that, too. How would we evolve a non-attributable truck marque for the campaign acceptable to everybody without it looking like a five-axle articulated camel designed by yet another committee?
If the BBC took It upon themselves to test the unity and determination of the transport industry, they would have only to stage a few local video showings of the Brass Tacks programme. The environmental lobby would be queuing out of the door. We might just manage to raise a quorum.
Prick your consciences, transport men, or expect what is coming: much more pressure from the environmentalists, and the anti-lorry brigade, well organised local opposition to your 0-licence renewals, yet more vote-winning legislative controls on your operations, night bans, cordons, higher costs, etc, etc, etc. Don't preach to the converted — it's your neighbour you need to talk to. ADRIAN P. GRAVES Communications and Project Management Consultants London SE13