Hauliers left in Games ‘limbo’
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By Laura Hailstone A LACK OF information from the governing bodies involved with the Olympic Games is leaving haulage irms in a state of limbo.
At a Road Haulage Association (RHA) Olympics working group meeting last week, operators expressed concerns that their customers are expecting them to have all the answers.
Andy Cordery, general manager – collection at Viridor Waste Management, says: “Details have been scant on what is being proposed, particularly in areas where we have customers for whom we can’t change the service time, such as hotels that won’t accept night-time deliveries.”
Chris Minnican, MD of car trans
porter irm D F Services (Kent), agrees: “Our customers have no information whatsoever about how they’re going to get their deliveries.
“We suggested changing to night-time deliveries up to 10pm, but they haven’t accepted that. We’re currently waiting to hear how they do want their vehicles delivered.” Aspray24 says it has two areas of concern: how it delivers into London and how it gets goods out of London to its hub in Willenhall. Neil Cottam, Aspray24 senior group operations manager, says: “The roads that make up the Olympic Route Network are already among the most congested in Lon don; they’re extremely fragile and frequently subject to disruption.” The RHA has produced a letter that members can pass on to customers to explain the effect that London 2012 is going to have on deliveries and plans to push for more detailed information from TfL.
● Turn to p16 to read our interview with TfL's freight boss Ian Wainwright.