Railways
Page 11
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LORRY bans in London could only work if the railway network was improved and developed to cope with the extra freight previously transported by road. This was the message given by Jan Kuiper, London Friends of the Earth co-ordinator, and John Lawson, Camden FoE co-ordinator.
A 16-ton weight-limit should be introduced at nights and weekends immediately, Mr Kuiper suggested, thus giving residents in the worst-hit areas some kind of relief. And in order to encourage companies to transfer from road to rail, there should be exemptions allowing lorries to carry the 4 OftFreightliner containers from their depots to rail terminals. If this proved too successful, and London became inundated with 3 2-ton lorries On Freightliner business, Mr Lawson said, British Rail would have to set up more terminals throughout the Greater London Area.
Indivisible loads would have to be allowed to travel by road, so long as a permit was first obtained. "Milk should not be exempted, as it used to be carried by rail up until a few decades ago," Mr Lawson noted. "I see no reason why it can't go back to that system."