Blanket overtaking ban on A34 not on the cards
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By Chris Tindall THE HIGHWAYS Agency (HA) says it has no plans to introduce a blanket HGV overtaking ban on the A34 after an Oxfordshire councillor was reported demanding a 30-mile extension.
There is currently a one-mile long trial ban on the A-road near East Ilsley in Oxfordshire, which the HA says comes to an end in September.
An HA spokesman says it is too early to say whether the ban will be made permanent, but that compliance levels among HGV drivers have been as high as 95%.
He adds that reports in the local press of demands by an Oxfordshire councillor for the ban to be extended from the M4 all the way to the M40 are not being considered.
“That’s certainly not our view,” he says. “Our view is those things have to be seen as fair and proportional – there’s no question of us implementing a blanket HGV overtaking restriction. It would be counterproductive.” The Road Haulage Association (RHA) describes the idea as badly conceived and says it would cause 30mph convoys of slow vehicles.
RHA regional director Nick Payne adds: “The slow-moving convoys in the left-hand lane will make it dificult for vehicles in the right-hand lane to exit the A34. Finding a gap in the trafic will be a perilous affair.” Councillor Bill Service, who was reported to have asked for the extension, did not respond to CM’s inquiries.