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BIFA bemoans ‘disposable’ transport secretaries

[ September 10, 2012   //   ]

British International Freight Association director general, Peter Quantrill has complained that, following the latest cabinet reshuffle, the country has had its third Transport Secretary in just over two years. Patrick McLoughlin has replaced Justin Greening.

Quantrill said: “Whilst we wish Patrick McLoughlin and his new team every success, the fact we have had three transport secretaries in two years – the latest being one of more than 40 transport secretaries since the Second World War – says a great deal about the position which the Transport portfolio occupies in the thoughts of politicians.
“What we need is joined-up thinking on those many issues, including capacity concerns in the UK’s aviation industry, which is suggested as being behind this latest round of musical chairs. The lack of runway capacity at Heathrow is a limiting factor for our members who move airfreight.”

The reshuffle has though been interpreted by some pundits as signalling a determination by the Prime Minister to end the impasse over plans to build a third runway at Heathrow. Greening, whose leafy Putney constituency lay under one of the Heathrow approach paths, was a vigorous opponent of the plan, while successor professes to have an open mind on the issue.

However, official Government policy is still that there will be no change of policy during the lifetime of the current government.

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