Labour backs 44-tonners
Page 7
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• Labour's long-awaited transport strategy document was officially launched last week, with just three of its 38 pages devoted to freight. Consensus for Change, widely leaked in recent weeks (CM 23-29 May), says the biggest trucks travelling the furthest distances should pay more road tax.
It also argues for reversing the trend towards more road freight, but admits that the vast bulk of freight will be carried by road for the foreseeable future. Tougher enforcement is also on the agenda, although no concrete measures are suggested. As predicted, Labour says that urban distribution centres should be encouraged "to increase the efficiency of delivery systems by transferring goods into smaller vehicles for local delivery".
Labour says it would try to shift rail subsidy from the operators to the infrastructure in a bid to cut track access charges. Intermodal freight would be encouraged and the 44-tonne lorry rule would be reviewed to encourage transfer from lorry to train or ship.
Railfreight to shrink further—see page 10.