Eight-hour rule will require more hubs
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U by Guy Sheppard
Transport bosses are warning he number of distribution hubs round the country will have to ilxpand enormously if the Norking Time Directive is introtoed in its present form.
David Pink, managing direc:or of Dodds Group subsidiary 21st Century Logistics, says an ilight-hour limit on night-time tying would mean it opening a iiew hub in Northampton in add :ion to its existing ones n Sheffeld, Warrington, 3windon and Kent.
He says; Instead of laylng one vehicle that toes 500 miles in a night, mu would have to have we vehicles doing 250 rules each.
"At the moment our %pots are spaced so hat vehicles can trunk )etween them at night. If might hours comes in, we Nion't be able to do that," Meanwhile, managing frector of Pall-Ex (UK), -Mary Sharpies, says hat plans to expand its currently on hold until the legislation is finalised.
David Hare, spokesman for TNT, says its hub system is also based around a 10-hour night for trunk drivers. He adds that around 40% of TNT's 75 depots are at least three hours from the central hub in Tamworth.
"A driver would normally wait up to two hours to have a trailer emptied and refilled, and you have to bear in mind factors like the weather causing delays."
However, smaller operators won't be able to open more depots. Peter Little, managing director of 16-vehicle fleet Meeks of Luton, believes the most likely option for his firm would be to form partnerships: "Our company will be looking to work much more closely with other hauliers I know. If I can back-load for them, then they can back-load for me,"