Transport views differ widely

Press, 28 October 1982, Page 21

Transport views differ widely

PA Wellington Extreme stands are represented in 116 submissions to the Ministry of Transport on the future of New Zealand’s transport industry.

Federated Farmers advocates the abolition of all Government controls on land transport, but the National Union of Railwaymen says that, dropping the 150 km limit regulating competition between truckers and rail transport will alone cost New Zealand $7 million.

The submissions are in response to the Ministry’s 56page discussion paper released recently.

Submissions from the N.U.R. and the Railways Corporation cover 90 pages, and some groups have employed lawyers arid economists to go through the discussion paper point by point. The N.U.R.’s independent consultant-economist said that the Ministry was more than $44 million a year out in its - .calculations, said, the unidn’s general secretary, Mr Don Goodfellow.

“The discussion paper claims that there will be a net national benefit of $37 million a year from lifting the 150 km limit. The inde-

pendent consultant demonstrates that in fact there will be at least a $7 million a year national cost.” Federated Farmers submits that safety legislation and market forces are enough to regulate the industry without any licensing system. The Road Transport Association has proposed a three-grade transport licence, based on the different needs of ownerdrivers, small fleet operators, and large companies. Cartage rates should remain controlled and the Ministry’s “disappointing” enforcement of transport regulations upgraded, the association says.