Controlled routes for heavies
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• The Minister for Transport Industries is arranging a research study into the distribution of goods in towns by vehicles "of a size more suited to the conditions".
Announcing this in the Upper House this week Lord Sandford, Under-Secretary for Environment, said that the investigations —to be carried out in conjunction with the road transport industry—would take into account the experience gained in other countries.
Holland would be one of them, he said, when the Earl of Albermarle spoke of the successful Dutch practice of requiring traffic distribution areas adjacent to factory districts, where loads of excessive size and weight could be redirected onto suitable second-class roads. Lord Sandford said that the Government shared the general concern about the impact of heavy goods vehicles on the roads. The report of the working party studying the problems caused by the lack of secure lorry parks was expected in the very near future.
He noted also that the Government was embarking on consultation with freight operators to explore the possibility of voluntary action, in conjunction with local authorities, to control the routeing of heavy and bulky freight vehicles.
There were severe difficulties in distinguishing between through traffic and traffic requiring access, said Lord Sandford, but local authorities already had ample powers to control traffic.
Lord Albermarle had earlier told him that the accelerated success of container trade via South East coast ports was accompanied by discomfort and building damage to residents in ancient towns and market villages. He suggested "stop" notices being set up at exits off classified roads and that outsize lorries should be prevented from taking short cuts along unhaunched country roads.