LBTC to levy trucks?
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by Juliet Parish • The campaign to make hauliers pay for permits to use London during the night and weekends is gathering momentum.
The London Boroughs Transport Committee, which administers the ban restricting truck movements during unsocial hours, hopes the London Boroughs Association will pick up its cause again at a policy meeting next month.
And it is seeking an urgent meeting with London Transport Minister Steven Norris to discuss the controversial plans.
LBTC wants to impose an annual levy of £10-£15 for each truck given an exemption permit from its ban. Currently it is unable to make a charge on the 40,000 trucks which have exemption, under the terms of the 1985 Road Traffic Order.
But the Department of Environment could enact an amendment to Section 150 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 which would allow a fee to be levied.
Earlier this year the DoE rejected its proposals put forward by a body representing 20 London boroughs.
The DoE told the LBA earlier this year that because the ban benefits London residents the local authorities should bear the cost of it. But the LBTC argues it is not fair to expect its 20 members to absorb the costs of being part of the scheme—which range from £25,000 to .C45,000 a year—and that the "polluter should pay".
The Department of Transport has so far been against charging hauliers: "We feel the lorry operator already has to pay substantial costs to comply with the scheme by being asked to fit environmental equipment (air brake silencers) and making fairly major detours."