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NEW Government has given the go-ahead for the indeent inquiry into heavy lorries and their effects that was ■ unced by former minister William Rodgers under the last ?.rnment.
.ansport Minister Norman ,ler told Parliament this k that he had decided that ould be right to proceed L the inquiry on the terms reference already anaced by Mr Rodgers.
lese were: "To consider ause and consequences of growth in the movement eight by road and in partir of the impact of the lorry )eople and their environt.
743 report on how best to ire that future developts are in the public inter .r Fowler said that he Id announce the form of the inquiry and its membership as soon as possible. People and oganisations would be able to put their views to it but he would be concerned to see that it was not unduly protracted.
He added: "The Government recognises the concern about heavy lorries, but they carry about two-thirds of our freight traffic and are of great importance to the economy.
"We need to see how the public interest is best served, taking into account economic benefits, the efficiency of the road transport industry and the damage and disruption which lorries can cause. "In particular the inquiry must face squarely the issue of whether there should be any change in the present limits of maximum weights," said Mr Fowler.
Reaction from the Road Haulage Association was lukewarm. "We are cautiously optimistic," said a spokesman, and he expressed surprise that it had come so soon after both the RHA and the Freight Transport Association had made representations to the Minister on the weights issue. (CM last week).
RHA chairman John Silbermann said that the committee should include members with the "supreme qualification of running a haulage fleet."
He added that it said a lot for the industry that while subject to constant reviews and inquiries, hauliers had continued to carry on to the complete satisfaction of their customers.
An FTA spokesman commented: "We shall be cooperating with the inquiry, but we would have preferred that the inquiry be limited to the issue of heavier vehicles.
"It is vital that industry generally is represented on the committee and important that the inquiry be completed quickly. We have been waiting for ten years for a decision on heavier vehicles, apart from anything else," said the spokesman.