FTA welcomes creation of Business Council for Britain
Date: 04 July 2007
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has welcomed the creation of a new Business Council for Britain, which was announced by the prime minister, Gordon Brown, last week.
James Hookham, deputy chief executive of the FTA, stressed that the council must address issues such as satisfactory investment for the road haulage industry and logistics companies.
He noted that Sir Rod Eddington's report last year highlighted the vital role played by transport in the UK economy, and hoped that Gordon Brown would heed the advice it contained.
"The Business Council for Britain is a welcome initiative," he said. "Its agenda must recognise these realities and influence the government regarding the provision of sufficient investment for additional capacity on road and rail, together with ports development.
"We live in a growing economy which will be subject to different needs in the future as the UK increases its consumption of imports from the Far East and the stresses which moving those imports place on the supply chain and the transport infrastructure.
"For too long we have wasted too much time and money on the dead weight of road and rail congestion. We now look forward to the Business Council clarifying these needs to the new government."
The FTA has also welcomed the appointment of Ruth Kelly as transport secretary, and hopes that she will support the fast-tracking of improvements to infrastructure that will aid freight forwarders such as motorways and ports.
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