§ Mr. Leadbitterasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) to what extent it is his policy to achieve an integrated transport system involving the co-ordination of road, rail, air and sea transport;
(2) if he will consider the possibility of establishing a national transport planning authority to replace the existing separate transport authorities.
§ Mr. Fowler[pursuant to his reply, 25 March 1981]: My policy is to ensure that the transport system meets the needs of users as efficiently as possible. This will best be done by giving users maximum freedom of choice and by increasing competition between operators. A national transport authority would not help to achieve these objectives and indeed it was rejected by the last Government in their White Paper on transport policy dated June 1977, Cmnd. 6836.