Eclipse fever on the wane
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• Cornish hauliers are breathing a sigh of relief as the preeclipse hype about traffic gridlock has largely failed to materialise.
Although transport firms were expecting a decline in local work following a decision by most of the local quarries to close yesterday, they had stepped up their long-distance work to compensate.
lostwithiel-based Rex Stephens, which has a contract with parcels network operator Hellmann, has asked customers to bring their deliveries forward or keep traffic to a minimum. Transport manager Peter Szewczuk said the company would try to avoid the Penzance area, which was already gridlocked as CMwent to press.
Truro-based TM Douce & Son reckoned that its "lorries won't be doing much" on the day and that drivers wanted to have the day off to watch the eclipse. But John Knowles, of Penryn-based Sid Knowles, was dismissive of the possible effects on transport: "It's busy down here but it's always busy at this time of year. I think it's a lot of hype myself."
Meanwhile rail freight movements soared. with English, Welsh & Scottish Railway (EWS) moving an extra 4.000 tonnes of bottled water on pallets. Thirty empty refrigerated trailers were also shifted by rail to be used as extra storage by supermarkets.