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There is an article in the February 13 Sunday Times reference the proposed increase in maximum gross weight which once again displays their well-known anti-road transport bias.
Some clever remarks about the destruction of our national heritage, cathedrals, etc, by the fire-breathing juggernaut are followed up with some statistic bending to claim that the new configuration would be 136 per cent more destructive than the present one.
What I should like to ask is when are we as an industry going to stand up for our point of view and who would represent us if we did. West German road hauliers mounted a campaign in the early 70s and had tremendous success in showing the public that the truck was the benefactor of society, not its enemy. However, if you were of the opinion that the R HA would be the body to
support our public image then they would have to do a far better job than our very own area secretary Brian Elliot did in CM of January 28 when attacking what he j called "foreign" tippers A engaged in the fish traffic 71 out of Plymouth. He made a statement that there were no operators in the West
Country with large tippers available.
Now really, Mr Elliot, even a schoolboy lorry spotting on the Exeter by-pass would seek to disagree with you on that point. Perhaps you should emerge from Roadway House once in a while and visit your members' yards.
As to 5 tons of fish water? My point is that if you are going to make public utterances, you had better think first. I feel it's far more likely that the absence of local vehicles is due to the highly questionable rates. "In excess of £5 a ton" the article states: what is not said is that this is traffic for Hull.
Finally, a word of congratulation for the sound good sense of Mr Sayer (letters, same issue). I don't suppose we could interest you in a job representing an industry, Sir?
DAVID MILLER, intercargo Forwarding Ltd, Newton Abbott, Devon