Transport business association appeals against Midsummer traffic slowdown

Initiator of protests says threat of protest has worked already

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Finnish Transport and Logistics (SKAL), an organisation promoting the interests of the road haulage business, has appealed to entrepreneurs in the field to cancel a planned protest during the Midsummer weekend rush on highways.
     The appeal comes after SMS messages called on lorry drivers to protest against high fuel costs by driving their vehicles at 20km/hour on the main arteries on Thursday, when departure traffic is expected to be at its peak.
      SKAL chairman Ahti Myllys says that the transport sector will quickly lose the support of public opinion if the Midsummer holiday of millions of people is ruined by the stopping of traffic.
     
The problems facing the transport business were discussed on Tuesday morning at an event bringing together representatives of the transport sector, as well as commerce and industry. No concrete agreements were reached in the discussions.
     SKAL managing director Iiro Lehtonen says that tax breaks are not forthcoming, but that there seems to be a common will for more flexible transport conditions.
     Solutions will also be sought on Wednesday next week, when Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen (Centre) and Minister of Labour Tarja Cronberg (Green) host a meeting on the matter.
     
The initiator of the SMS campaign, Simo Matikainen, says that the threat of a traffic slowdown has already been successful. In a television interview on Tuesday morning Matikainen said that the fact that negotiations are being held at the ministerial level on the problems of transport is an indication of the success.
     “For instance, entrepreneurs with one vehicle might be able to manage through the autumn, but the problem is that they will not be able to pay themselves any wages”, Matikainen says.
     In addition to higher costs, Matikainen says that the campaign is aimed at focusing attention on poor safety conditions, especially on Highway 6 in South Karelia.
     In an interview with the newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, Matikainen says that he chose the SMS message route because he has lost faith in SKAL, which, he says, offers plenty of sympathy, but no concrete results.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Police will intervene if truckers undertake go-slow protest in Midsummer traffic (16.6.2008)
  Finance Minister offers no relief to small transport companies (12.6.2008)

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