FTA Set to Hold National Council Meetings alongside Multimodal 2008

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has announced that its National Council meetings will be held alongside and in association with Multimodal 2008, the UK freight industry’s showcase event to be held at the NEC, Birmingham on 22nd to 24th April.

Action on the major issues, which currently face the UK’s freight industry, including emissions control, security, integrated planning and congestion in the supply chain calls for crucial debate involving all parties in the freight community. The organisers of Multimodal 2008 therefore welcome the FTA’s decision to hold its British Shippers Council, the Rail Freight Council and the Road Freight Council meetings alongside and in association with Multimodal 2008 at the NEC on 22 April. The FTA continues to strive for a more co-ordinated approach to tackling critical transport problems and is encouraging interests from all modes including, maritime, aviation and rail, as well as road haulage to take part. In announcing the venue change, James Hookham, Managing Director – Policy & Communications, for the FTA said, “FTA’s National Council is a unique meeting of top professionals from across all modes of transport. Holding the two events at the same venue will allow FTA members easy access to the Multimodal event.

“The challenges facing the UK’s freight transport system are wide-reaching and complex. The FTA is committed to helping both members and the community at large to face these serious challenges. We see the bringing together of all parties active within the supply chain as essential to designing solutions to these problems.”

It is now widely accepted that inherent within such solutions must be adequate care of the environment and resource sustainability. The FTA’s avowed determination to cut carbon emissions will also under-pin the content of the meeting and support Multimodal 2008’s conference aims, a key one of which is to forward a measure of carbon foot-printing for transport operators.

Sue Graves, Marketing Director for Multimodal in welcoming the FTA’s decision said, “The weight and influence of the FTA, with its 14,000 members, is very significant over transport planners and policy-makers in this country. We are therefore delighted to be hosting our conference in association with the FTA’s Council meetings. What is achieved by this gathering of the freight community in Birmingham in April, particularly in our efforts to reduce carbon emissions will be significantly enhanced by a strong FTA presence.”