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FTA's Owen Thomas saluted by industr
Page 8
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• by Cliff Caswell Tributes have been pouring in for a well-known and highly respected haulage industry figure following his sudden death earlier in the week. Owen Thomas, 55, was head of road freight policy at the Freight Transport Association. He died on Tuesday 2 October, after a battle with cancer.
In nearly 30 years of service with the FTA, Thomas was one the foremost experts on road transport law and was wellknown for his depth of knowledge in both the UK and or the Continent.
He is remembered by FTA colleagues for his "virtually single handed efforts" on the Working Time
Directive regulations on behalf of
the UK transport industry.
FTA chief executive Richard Turner says: "Despite poor health over the past 12 months, Owen was determined to continue with all of his business right up until last night.
"In the industry and the FTA we owe him an enormous debt. His good humour and professional accuracy will be an indispensable loss to all of us at the FTA.'' Roger King, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, was also saddened to hear of the death of an industry colleague. He says: "Owen Thomas was a much-valued and loyal servant of the industry who was extremely well respected by all of us here at the RHA. He will be sadly missed."