Any future government will need to back economic performance with investment in freight and logistics capacity, the Freight Transport Association has told the Conservative party conference. Speaking in Bournemouth yesterday (Monday 2 October) at a meeting with the Conservative transport team, James Hookham, FTA deputy chief executive said, 'The UK's future economic performance will depend heavily on consumer spending which will be met by imports of foreign made goods. These will enter the country through a relatively small number of major ports and airports. Future transport planning must provide for the impact this concentration of freight traffic will have on the road and rail routes serving these ports and airports.
'Freight and logistics needs to become a much bigger part of the vocabulary in future transport planning. Sure, passenger transport delivers voters but freight transport delivers lifestyles, choice and quality in goods and services. Its contribution cannot be ignored in future investment plans and policy discussions.'
Notes for Editors
The Freight Transport Association represents the interests of companies moving goods by road, rail, sea and air. FTA members operate over 200,000 goods vehicles - almost half the UK fleet. In addition they consign over 90 per cent of the freight moved by rail and over 70 per cent of sea and air freight.