Protest to Minister Over Ban
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on Waiting in London A MEMORANDUM protesting against present and proposed develop
ments in the London area which have the effect of preventing Commercial vehicles from stopping to load or unload goods has been submitted to the Minister of Transport by the Road Haulage Association, the Traders' Road Transport Association and the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association. These organizations acted through the Metropolitan Traffic 'Liaison Committee of the National Road Transport Federation.
. The secretary of the liaison committee, Mr. R. E. G. Brown, who is also secretary of the London and Home Counties Division of the T.R.T.A., has expressed the "widespread feelings of alarm" over the tendency in legislation, particularly marked in the London area, which sought to keep goods vehicles moving and to prevent them from doing their primary job of collecting or delivering goods.
Attention is drawn by the memorandum to the Road Traffic Act, 1930, a section* of which lays down that no traffic order should be, made "which would have the effect of preventing such access as may be reasonably required for vehicles of any class or description to any premises situated on or adjacent to the road." It is pointed out that although the London area is governed by the London Traffic Act, 1924. which does not contain the same specific reference to reasonable access, the principle has been observed by successive Ministers.
As recently as 1952 there was no traffic regulation in London which barred such access, but in only 18 months four different Orders restricting loading or unloading have been made or proposed.
22 More Streets Affected
The memorandum recalls that the qrst experiments in unilateral parking were undertaken in London, the regulations for which did not contain the usual provision allowing goods vehicles to wait on the " banned " side, if necessary, up to 20 minutes to load or ' unload. These regulations affected only a few streets in the West End, but it was now proposed to extend unilateral parking to 22 more streets in the West End alone.
"In practice." states the memorandum, "these streets become filled with unbroken lines of long-term parked vehicles. Consequently it is frequently impossible for the goods vehicle driver to park his vehicle alongside the kerb on the permitted side to carry out his duties. If in desperation he resorts to doublc-banking, he is liable to be challenged for causing obstruction."
The London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee now recommended further prohibition of loading ' and unloading in eight important thoroughfares. including Piccadilly and Oxford Street. There should be a complete ban on waiting at seven important intersections. The memorandum protests against these moves, also the prohibition of waiting within 45 ft. of the approach side of a zebra crossing.
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The Minister is asked to recognize " the basic necessity of the service performed by the commercial goods vehicle to serve trade and industry at large" and that " there must be a fundamental right of access to business premises, including the right to load and unload without discriminatory restriction."
Sacrifices demanded of goods vehicle operators were disproportionate to those asked of other road users and were not, in any case, of a nature that would make any real contribution to the central London traffic problem, it is stated. The time had come for the implementation of more positive measures. It was inequitable to introduce further restrictions specifically intended to prevent goods vehicles from carrving out their legitimate function.
The memorandum has the support and endorsement of the following organizations:— More Unilateral Waiting The Minister last week concluded his review of the existing unilateral waiting restrictions which were introduced experimentally in 1953. After consulting the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee, he considers that the restrictions have been "sufficiently successful to justify their permanent extension to 37 more streets.
In view of representations which have been made to him, he has decided that the waiting period on the permitted side of such street be 30 minutes instead of 20, but in a few instances in outer London the period will be an hour.