Kent blames trucks
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• A fortnight after the publication of Kent County Council's 1987 Transport Plan, which blames heavy good vehicles for causing the most "damage" to the county's roads, Kent County Surveyor, Mike Cottell, has expressed concern over any moves towards increased vehicle weights — and in particular to 40 tonnes.
Cottell says Kent would be extremely worried about proposals for increasing gross weight, and states: "We are in a difficult situation having to deal with the maintenance of roads as a consequence of current levels of HGV traffic." He cites the combination of heavy trucks and weather as prime causes of road-wear problems, but says, however, that to maximise road maintenance techniques, more research needs to be carried out to determine the full effect of heavy goods vehicles on the road surface.
According to the KCC report, since 1974 "traffic flows in Kent have risen substantially, with most of the main routes between towns experiencing increases of about 40%. HGV traffic flows have increased by 7%, mainly because the four or more axle heavyweight, sector has shot up by 41%."
The A2 channel route between Canterbury and Dover in particular has seen CV traffic volume increase by 103%, with heavy vehicle flows increasing by 188%.
The report says that the overall growth of truck traffic in Kent is particularly serious. It is the heavy-aided vehicles which most damage the roads and determine the need for structural maintenance. It concludes that the rapid growth in the number of HGVs is expected to continue, and claims "these will destroy Kent roads unless they are properly strengthened".
Looking at the Channel Tunnel, the KCC transport plan predicts that traffic flow will increase whether or not a fixed link is built.
The Freight Transport Asso ciation has generally welcomed the KCC report. FTA southeast regional director John Guttridge says that the association backs KCC's efforts to upgrade existing roads in time for the opening of the Channel Tunnel.
The report says that KCC has received assurances from the DTp that additional resources will be made available to help develop routes linking with the Tunnel, rather than make the county fund the improvements.