Gilder allowed to stay
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— An attempt by local residents to close down the business of one of Britain's largest livestock firms. Gliders Transport, has failed.
Western Area Traffic Commissioner Christopher Heaps rejected complaints from neighbours Peter and Jacqueline Watkinson that the site of the Cheltenham based company was too small for an international business.
At public inquiry Mr Watkinson said: -Gliders Transport does not take any notice of a parking restriction banning them from leaving lorries within 42 metres of the roadway." He also said there are "'lorries going out of the depot 24 hours a day".
Owner Gordon Gilder said his yard was also used to give animals food, water, and rest during transit, and other livestock transport firms used his yard for these facilities.
Gilder claimed the Watkinsons' were supporters of the Animal Liberation Front and had helped them during demonstrations—his depot has been the scene of a number of these protests.
Dismissing the complaints, Heaps said "there was insufficient evidence to close the operating centre". But he did order Gilder to make sure lorries in the yard only run their engines for three minutes before moving off, and don't use reverse alarms from 21:00hrs-07:30hrs. He also banned any trucks from reversing in or out of the yard, and from parking within 44m of the highway.