A week is a long time in politics
There's good news...
Is it me, or does it seem a long time since this time a week ago when we were watching the final election results confirm the previous night’s exit poll ?
As the prospect of a hung parliament looked inevitable, factions of the freight transport industry started to raise their concerns.
The voice of BIFA (British International Freight Association) was one of the first to emerge, reminding whatever shape new government not to forget the vital role of the freight industry in facilitating trade. Important issues impacting global supply chains, not to mention road congestion and better thinking for the UK’s port infrastructure were raised – as reported on Monday by IFW .
Later on Monday, and somewhat overshadowed by the breaking news that the Lib Dems were now talking to Labour, Boris Johnson was announcing the Mayor’s Transport Plan. Boris was getting in early with a plea to David Cameron, then still leader of the opposition, to ensure Crossrail was protected, along with other significant plans to improve London’s transport system. (I’ve not yet pored over the 87-page document, but will do so prior to the launch of Freight by Water’s River Thames Project, in support of the associated London Freight Plan).
On Tuesday, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) was anxious that a hung parliament would be more concerned about electoral reform than the logistics sector – whose 8% of the country’s workforce contributes £100 billion to the UK economy – and warning the next government not to abandon important transport policy priorities.
As the momentous events of Tuesday evening unfolded, not long after David Cameron’s announcement outside No 10, it became clear that a formal coalition was in the process of being formed. Against the forewarnings of austere measures needed to deal with the country’s budget deficit, there was a positive signal for the water freight industry, with the notion to cancel some of the backdated demands for business rates initiated by the previous administration with crippling effects on some of our members in the ports sector.
On Wednesday afternoon,the new Secretary of State for Transport was announced – not quite as high-profile as the morning’s “love-in” at Downing Street, nor chronologically one of the prime appointments. All the same, the selection of Philip Hammond was followed by some early press speculation picking up that Theresa Villiers as the previous Tory shadow for transport had “lost out”.
Given Hammond’s background, the appointment immediately raised the question of the credentials the Prime Minister sees as necessary to get to grips at the DfT. Does the role require a hard-hitting, tough negotiator armed with the skills to deliver significant cost savings (cuts)? Is these the skill set of Mr Hammond?
He got off to a positive start by confirming that Crossrail would go ahead, ending fears that the Lib-Con government might pull the plug on the landmark £16 billion rail scheme for London.
A further statement by the Transport Secretary within 24 hours of taking on the portfolio confirmed the new administration would bring in a “fuel price stabiliser”, which would see fuel taxes reduced if the price of oil rises sharply. He also ruled out the introduction of any form of road pricing. Good news so far for the motorist and the road freight industry – for as long as commercial vehicles are coupled with private cars in the way fuel duty is collected.
Sceptics may choose to believe that such statements, aimed primarily at the mass populous, are merely the positive sound bites to be expected during this honeymoon period of the incoming government. It is hard to disagree, given the depth of the deficit and the new government’s commitment to tackle it by cutting costs. It simply won’t be all good news.
I’m guessing that Boris will for now be cheered by the news on Crossrail, and relieved that he chose the eventual winner when he made his plea to Mr Cameron – my goodness, was that only Monday?
As the prospect of a hung parliament looked inevitable, factions of the freight transport industry started to raise their concerns.
The voice of BIFA (British International Freight Association) was one of the first to emerge, reminding whatever shape new government not to forget the vital role of the freight industry in facilitating trade. Important issues impacting global supply chains, not to mention road congestion and better thinking for the UK’s port infrastructure were raised – as reported on Monday by IFW .
Later on Monday, and somewhat overshadowed by the breaking news that the Lib Dems were now talking to Labour, Boris Johnson was announcing the Mayor’s Transport Plan. Boris was getting in early with a plea to David Cameron, then still leader of the opposition, to ensure Crossrail was protected, along with other significant plans to improve London’s transport system. (I’ve not yet pored over the 87-page document, but will do so prior to the launch of Freight by Water’s River Thames Project, in support of the associated London Freight Plan).
On Tuesday, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) was anxious that a hung parliament would be more concerned about electoral reform than the logistics sector – whose 8% of the country’s workforce contributes £100 billion to the UK economy – and warning the next government not to abandon important transport policy priorities.
As the momentous events of Tuesday evening unfolded, not long after David Cameron’s announcement outside No 10, it became clear that a formal coalition was in the process of being formed. Against the forewarnings of austere measures needed to deal with the country’s budget deficit, there was a positive signal for the water freight industry, with the notion to cancel some of the backdated demands for business rates initiated by the previous administration with crippling effects on some of our members in the ports sector.
On Wednesday afternoon,the new Secretary of State for Transport was announced – not quite as high-profile as the morning’s “love-in” at Downing Street, nor chronologically one of the prime appointments. All the same, the selection of Philip Hammond was followed by some early press speculation picking up that Theresa Villiers as the previous Tory shadow for transport had “lost out”.
Given Hammond’s background, the appointment immediately raised the question of the credentials the Prime Minister sees as necessary to get to grips at the DfT. Does the role require a hard-hitting, tough negotiator armed with the skills to deliver significant cost savings (cuts)? Is these the skill set of Mr Hammond?
He got off to a positive start by confirming that Crossrail would go ahead, ending fears that the Lib-Con government might pull the plug on the landmark £16 billion rail scheme for London.
A further statement by the Transport Secretary within 24 hours of taking on the portfolio confirmed the new administration would bring in a “fuel price stabiliser”, which would see fuel taxes reduced if the price of oil rises sharply. He also ruled out the introduction of any form of road pricing. Good news so far for the motorist and the road freight industry – for as long as commercial vehicles are coupled with private cars in the way fuel duty is collected.
Sceptics may choose to believe that such statements, aimed primarily at the mass populous, are merely the positive sound bites to be expected during this honeymoon period of the incoming government. It is hard to disagree, given the depth of the deficit and the new government’s commitment to tackle it by cutting costs. It simply won’t be all good news.
I’m guessing that Boris will for now be cheered by the news on Crossrail, and relieved that he chose the eventual winner when he made his plea to Mr Cameron – my goodness, was that only Monday?
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