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Service precinct saves time but not money
Page 26
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• Drastic savings in the time taken to make deliveries in a service-only precinct in Watford are more than offset by the increased mileage necessary to reach shop premises. This was the conclusion of a research report published this week by the Freight Transport Association and prepared by the transport research unit of Leicester University's department of economics. Watford's precinct — formed by closing off part of the town's High Street — is barrred to all vehicles with the exception of buses and delivery vans.
The report says that, although deliveries were made easier by the precinct because vehicles could usually park directly putside the shops they were serving, journeys were lengthened significantly, usually by between 0.7 to1.6km. "Total delivery costs are probably increased by the scheme", the report — entitled "Delivering the goods" — admits. Taken as a whole, the report says, the precinct scheme must be judged as "a worthwhile undertaking". The main improvement is in the "shopping' environment" but "the advantages to hauliers are less clear and for many operators the extra cost of longer journeys may more than offset any gains from improvements in loading and unloading facilities."
The report lists a number of ways the Watford precinct could be improved to make the task of delivery vehicles easier. Chief among these is allowing goods vehicles to use an exit from the precinct at present restricted to buses only. Under the present arrangement goods vehicles — which may be maximum capacity attics --must make U-turns in the roadway to get out of the precinct. The report says that it is "obviously politically easier to establish a case for privileged treatment for buses . . but the presence of lorries in the precinct is even more essential". Shops could not exist without deliveries. Direct access at the south end of the precinct could cut almost one mile from the journey distances of some delivery vehicles.
A secondary improvement to the precinct would be a clearer system of signposting, says the report. At present it is easy for vehicles to find themselves in the wrong part of the precinct — it is divided into two parts. To reduce complications, the report suggests that shopkeepers should supply hauliers with maps indicating the appropriate access road. A number of lorry drivers interviewed by the authors of the report indicated that they had been compelled to us t the precinct because rear access roads were blocked -by parked cars. Clearing these routes would be an additional help to haulage operator.