Road users urge: restore road cuts
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ROAD-USER organiza tions representing over eight million drivers and 350,000 companies and other organizations have asked for an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister to express concern at the cut-back in road construction.
They a re pressing for three main objectives. First; that road-building targets for English trunk roads should be restored at least to the extent of providing 3,100 , miles of strategic road by 1980 and 3.500 miles by 1983. Second: that the Minister for Transport insists that new grants to local authorities are used for investment in bettering urban transport systems — including essential new roads — and not for subsidies to slow down public transport fare increases. Lastly: that there should be a postponement of the final decision on the proposed reduction in standards of road building until there has been a full debate on the safety. amenity and efficiency of the move.
John Wells, executive member and past chairman of the Road Haulage Association, said that the cut-back would effect the proposed construction of high-security lorry parks. Mr Wells described these parks as "Aunt Sails" that aroused local discontent wherever a site was suggested for their construction.
Mr Robert Beckham, presideht of the Freight Transport Association, said that there was no point in choosing security lorry park sites until some designated lorry routes had been decided upon. Mr Beckham went on to say that plans for designated routes had been severely disrupted by the cut-back in G ernment spending.
As yet the Prime Minister has not replied to the request for a meeting to discuss the cut-hack. _