LBTC stalls over hush kits
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• The London Boroughs Transport Committee seems to be stalling over controversial plans to force hauliers using the capital to fit hush kits to their trucks: the plan provoked protests from the Freight Transport Association (CM 1824 February).
The FTA says the committee is giving temporary permits to every operator who wants to use streets which come within the London lorry controls. This is despite earlier warnings that the committee might demand engine hush kit modifications as a condition of awarding a permit. The LBTC now appears to be recommending kits to be fitted only where manufacturerbacked equipment exists: Leyland Daf is one manufacturer which does this.
The FTA's south-east chief John Guttridge says the devices are expensive, pointless and go against the spirit of European harmonisation by making parts of London no-go areas. The FTA is urging its members to appeal against the conditions when they apply for the permits.
"The whole plan is a nonsense costing time and money," says Gutteridge.