FTA's plan for London
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FTA's London 'manifesto' calls for delivery discs and more sensitive enforcement. Dominic Perry reports.
THE FREIGHT TRANSPORT Association has launched an initiative to tackle the growing delivery crisis in London that is costing transport firms billions every year.
The association's 'manifesto', Freight Solutions for London, lays out the FTA's ideas for improving freight services into the capital. Principal among its suggestions is the proposed introduction of a 'London Delivery Disc' identifying vehicles making legitimate deliveries that adhere to certain standards of operation. The FTA believes that in exchange for these best-practice policies operators should receive relaxations on delivery bans, more discretion from parking attendants and an alternative to the congestion charge. Currently parking fines cost operators £42m; congestion charging £160m; and the London Lorry Ban £30m. In all the FTA estimates a total cost to
industry of £1.2bn every year. Launching the manifesto, FTA chief executive Richard Turner says the association wants an integrated solution: "We have to work together on this It's not about putting freight before people, or vice-versa; there's not a lot of point getting the freight there unless the customers are there too. The movement of people and freight is
crucial to the business of London."
His comments were echoed by Steve Bennett, head of fleet management at Securicor Cash Services: "The money in your pockets on average costs us £10,000 per month in parking fines and £2,500 in congestion charging.That's why our costs are escalating."
He advocates dialogue with the authorities to find a way forward.
Don't take it lying down!
One operator in the capital has found a way of fighting back against the tide of parking fines-he simply appeals against as many as he can.
Eddie Kane, service centre manager at DHL Express's Vauxhall depot, says that in the London Borough of Lewisham alone it has 75% of its fines overturned on appeal, although the average across London is around 50%. This means that it halves its potential bill of £18,000 per month on fines. However, he estimates that just one depot still pays virtually E250,000 per year in fines and congestion charging payments.