Strange The roads ahead
Page 36
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claim to fame
OUT OF a total mileage of 8000 miles not more than 200 miles of roads have been built in London since the early days of the car.
So says the RHA's Ken Rogers. "Is this an achievement upon which the GLC can look back with pride?"
But he does have some praise for the GLC as against the actions of some local authorities, notably those who imposed the notorious Windsor Cordon. "I was delighted to learn recently that the GLC has shov .1 considerably wisdom and common sense in preventing the establishment of such a scheme in Harrow,he explains.
Ken Rogers argues that local authorities should have the same attitudes to the transport services as are taken to the provision of gas, electricity and water services.
And he believes that the GLC is at present failing to exercise its right to object to the issue of 0-licences by LAs When the applicants do not have proper parking facilities. Other major schemes in its programme include a compre hensive series of improvements to the North Circular, the A13, the M11-Hackney link and the A20 Sidcup by-pass.
Its total expenditure programme over the next five years is some £132m. It has also agreed to progress the East London River Crossing,
The GLC has now developed a specific road programme to match the general intention expressed at its 1977 meeting.
The total expenditure is scheduled to increase from £32m in 1979/80 to £72m in 1984/85, including expenditure on Borough roads falling from £16m to £14m, the balance being on the GLC's roads — that is, the strategic routes.
Some of the major schemes included in the TPP for that period are:
Rochester Way relief road El Hayes by-pass
El North-South route, Enfield Docklands Northern relief route
E Docklands Southern relief route
and major intersection schemes such as Kings Cross, Angel and town-centre schemes such as Kingston.
"These schemes are obviously subject to possible delays through the process of public consultation and inquiries or through financial constraints applied by Government," says the GLC's Martin Foulkes. The Council is doing its utmost to avoid delays where possible.
The restriction on overnight parking of lorries on streets in residential areas has been extended with the assurance that off-street space is available and 28 boroughs are now covered. Some 79 local road restrictions by width controls have been introduced.
The Council has continued to take a supportive view to the need for new depots and for ensuring that there is a reasonable supply of sites. The Boroughs have Industrial Officers to help find suitable sites and the GLC has an Industrial Centre — which work alongside the Freight Unit to give planning and other support to those seeking sites or the development of them. The introduction of special freight facilities generally utilising commercial enterprise rather than public funds has proved a slow process — reflecting planning difficulties, problems in sites being made available, and so on. Freight Complexes, the largest multipurpose tyre facility, ' have met with substantial commercial support. Schemes are being progressed outside London, but the first major proposal for London at Neasden has been delayed by various changes in the attitude of the Borough. Other sites are being pursued.
Small haulier depots also provide facilities for secure day or overnight parking for firms operating into London. The first one opened at Purley Way and has proved very successful, the second is expected to open in the near future in Greenwich, and several others in London are the subject of negotiation.
The provision of permanent off-street lorry parks is being pursued mainly by the Boroughs. Greenwich has recently opened a high-standard facility, and other schemes are being processed.