FREIGHT TRANSPORT POLICY RECONSIDERED

The article gives an analysis of the considerations that have influenced Netherlands transport policy since World War II. It seemed relevant to find out whether the changes that could be distinguished since the nineteen forties formed a more or less imperceptible process on which a consistent dynamic policy making could be based or, on the contrary were exponents of the way of thinking per period of time. These exponents were, or could be in conflict with the considerations of an earlier period. In surveying the period as a whole it can be concluded that for each decade specific incentives have been active, giving an accent of their own to the transport political reflections: the fifties, characterised by the reminder of the pre-war economic depression with its sharp competition within the transport industry, stimulated by the fast development of road transport services, provided by a large number of small companies. The sixties with socio-economic developments, from which came the demand for an active directing transport policy and the seventies with occurrences that resulted in a desire for deregulation and decentralisation. However, as far as the impacts of these different transport political considerations are concerned, it can be concluded that they did not cause conflicts between policy alternatives that might have resulted in inconsistencies in the formulation and implementation of the transport policy of the government. As far as the infrastructure policy is concerned, special attention should be given to the common use of this infrastructure by passenger and freight transport. Elements of policy-making directed at passenger transport should not be allowed to disturb the objectives for freight transport. In so far as the desire for deregulation is considered from the point of view of transport policy, it can be concluded that this desire is in line with the general trend in transport policy. However, deregulation that would abandon the protection of the environment or would decrease road safety should be considered as in conflict with the general lines of development in freight transport policy. (TRRL)