That means that the hauliers have to cover the cost of having a crew on standby, waiting until the police are free to escort them.It is clear that that cost—combined with the rise in fuel prices and the cost of the imminent introduction of the working time directive—cannot be sustained indefinitely by the industry without its either passing the cost on to the consumer by means of an increased price for goods or, in the worst-case scenario, going to the wall.Scottish manufacturers, who are already reeling from economic pressures, are particularly concerned about the high cost of transportation undermining their ability to compete in Europe, the rest of the world and even in the home market. Furthermore, the Government's programme...