)an: new routes
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The removal of 115km of indon's roads from the night
d weekend lorry ban this .tek will cause operators :onvenience and confusion, ?. Greater London Council Limed as it headed for olition on April 1.
Abolition of the GLC has stilted in 115km of roads ing trunked and tomatically free from the _.C's night and weekend ban lorries over 16.5 tonnes. The 115km includes all of
e A205 South Circular, the
A23 Streatham High Road and the Al Holloway Road (see map). There are also sections — such as the A13 East India Dock Road at Stepney and the A4 Great West Road at Earls Court — where the trunking, and the ban exemption ends suddenly.
The GLC claims that these stubs do not provide easy turn-rounds for drivers suddenly faced with a lorry ban prohibitory sign and who do not hold an exemption permit. "Freight operators can look forward to chaos and confusion, while residents must expect the pre-lorry ban misery of juggernauts thundering past their bedroom windows from dusk until dawn," GLC transport committee chair Dave Wetzel, said.
But the industry's two trade associations have welcomed the additional trunk roads.
"Industry needs a decent road network," the Freight Transport Association says. However, the RHA says there must be a central authority to look after the principal roads.
The RHA also expresses concern about the lack of turning points. It says that the Department of Transport and the London Residuary Body, which is organising the ban until June when its future will be reviewed, must work together to solve the problems.
They say that the reduction of banned routes will make little difference to lorry levels in the areas. The FTA argues that there has not been any significant difference in lorry traffic since the ban's introduction on January 31.