No cop out on transport
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BRITAIN will pursue a policy of realism, in which difficult issues al confronted head on, Transport Secretary David Howell assured th European Parliament's transport committee.
His message, when he met the committee in Brussels last week, was that the remaining three months of Britain's presidency of the council of ministers will be devoted to tackling such areas of disagreement as West Germany's insistence that the increase in the community quota of permits be linked to maximum use of its railway system.
On the fixed Channel link proposals, of which eight and Dover Harbour Board propos for development of shipping st vices are now the subject Anglo-French discussions, P Howell told the committee th the first hurdle to be cleared determining whether there is mutually acceptable and bene cial scheme.
Further bilateral talks on ti Channel link are planned to I held in London later this montt In separate discussions wi European transport commi sioner Georges Kontogeorg Mr Howell discussed harmoniE tion of lorry weights and dime sions.
A Department of Transpi spokesman told CM that t Government regards tl European Commission's rejE tion of the 44-tonner as "prc ably helpful", but said Britain would still be more likt to press for a 10.5-tonne, ratlthan an 11-tonne axle weic limit.
Britain still hopes that weigt and dimensions can I discussed at the next EEC trar port council meeting in C cember, but time is running for Britain to come up with own lorry weight proposals, f lowing last year's publication the Armitage Report.