Lester spells it out
Page 6
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THE DOWN-LICENSING powers in the 1982 Finance Act should be revoked, according to enviromental group Transport 2000's director, Nick Lester.
He told CM that his priority list for the next Government would include an element of social and environmental costs either in the tax paid by lorry operators or in a greater degree of control on lorry operations.
Mr Lester said he did not favour down-licensing and said the as yet unenacted Finance Act powers should be revoked.
Transport 2 0 0 O's view coincides with the RHA's on enforcement. It wants the next Government to increase its enforcement effort, especially to control overloading, and he wants magistrates to be made aware of the need to match fines to the level of unfair profit which operators of overloaded vehicles can earn.
He also wants the next Government to resist any pressure from the EEC for a further lorry weights increase, and hopes that all transport investment, be it road, rail or waterway, is calculated on an equal basis using cost-benefit analysis.