French, Italian quota reviews
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• Following widespread protests over the inadequacy of French and Italian road haulage permit quotas the 11/1oT on Monday announced that there is to be a review of the AngloFrench agreement during February and possibly further reviews later in the year if either country thinks that the quotas are seriously restricting traffic. Both countries have now agreed that the existing figures-6,000 return trips a year and 2,000 return road-rail ipiggy-back) trips—should be regarded as provisional.
Having already conceded the inadequacy of 2,000 trips under the Italian agreement, effective from November 1 last. the Ministry is to have top level talks with the Italian authorities in the New Year.
The Anglo-French agreement will come into force on February 1 next year but during January there will be a detailed check of traffic on both sides of the Channel. The agreement requires British goods vehicles, including British trailers and semi-trailers towed by foreign goods vehicles, and unaccompanied trailers and semi-trailers to operate under a permit for passage to or through France. Permits will be needed for own-account as well as haulage traffic. The new arrangement will also apply to French goods vehicles coming to the UK.
Permits for British operators will be issued through the Northern Traffic Area Office of the Ministry of Transport, Period permits, for which the fee will be Cl, can be used for an unlimited number of return journeys during the period of validity, but they will not initially be issued for transit journeys through France. Journey permits, for which the fee will be 15s, can be used for one return journey to or through France.
Applications for permits will be dealt with on a monthly basis and the normal closing date for applications for any month will be the 14th of the preceding month.
A memorandum giving details of the system is RTG /OUT/02, available free from the Road Transport (Goods) Division, Ministry of Transport, St. Christopher House, Southwark St., London, SE1 or from the Northern Traffic Area Office at 36/42 Low Friar St., Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5XR lphone 0632 610031: telex 53351).