News

The UK's failing infrastructure is one of the biggest threats to economic growth, according to Road Haulage Association chairman Willie Oliver. At the last RHA lunch in its current form Oliver gave an impassioned speech to guests including senior Department for Transport civil servants and Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers in which he warned:

"We are approaching a tipping point when growth cannot be achieved  because of inherent defects in the road and rail systems. We are approaching an infrastructure gap and with it the inability to achieve the economic growth required [by government]. The investment needed to keep the UK moving and delivering economic growth is huge. We need high-speed rail links but we also need road investment. While we note the government's intention to build cross rail in London - I hope it is not at the expense of criss-cross roads for the rest of the UK!"

Oliver also implored politicians, both local and national, to take freight seriously. He pointed out that the Local Transport Bill, due to come before Parliament soon, makes virtually no reference to freight: "Its [the Bill's] proposals to reform the role of the Traffic Commissioners, who currently spend around 70% of their time on lorry related issues, appear to have been driven almost entirely by the bus sector, thus far at least."

However, he ended on a high note by reporting that the RHA had recruited  its 25,000th member, Falcon Contract Flooring of Dudley. "I wish we had 25,000 members all at the same time," Oliver concluded. "But ours is an industry where companies come and go."