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Highway to hell

11th December 2008
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Page 26, 11th December 2008 — Highway to hell
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Without major investment and an infrastructure overhaul., the A14 is likely to remain a headache for hauliers for many years to come.

Words: Chris Tindall UNOBSERVED LORRY overtaking bans, spiralling congestion, a distinct lack of secure parking and a creaking infrastructure servicing the UK's major ports: the A14 has been branded a 'nightmare road' by hauliers.

The absence of a mot orway connecting the Midlands to the east coast ports of Felixstowe and Harwich, as well as Ipswich and Mistley, means that a twolane A-road is carrying a large proportion of the country's container traffic, despite the fact it is not suitable for that purpose.

The Government is trying to ease some of the problems on the road, including congestion, by throwing enormous amounts of money at projects. including £1bn to construct additional lanes in Cambridgeshire, a lorry overtaking ban on two stretches of the A14, pumping £90m into technology to manage traffic as well as undertaking studies into how to deal with port expansion.

However, questions still remain about whether any of these measures can transform the A14 into a functional, designated Euro route.

A spokesman for Geoff Hobbs Haulage in Northamptonshire sums up many hauliers' feelings by declaring: "It's a nightmare."

He continues by saying that problems are also caused by "ignorance" among HGV drivers putting their vehicles on cruise control and blocking up lanes. He wants to see a blanket ban of travelling above 50rriph for all motorists, explaining: "That would make it fair. It would save on accidents; you only need one bump and you are all stopped."

The overtaking ban on the road eastbound between the M1 junction 19 and A14 junction 1 and westbound between junction 2 and junction I was recently made permanent after the Highways Agency declared an 18month trial a success. However. the Road Haulage Association (RHA) is still not unconvinced.

Chrys Rampley, the RHA's manager of infrastructure, says: "We are not sure how good compliance has been. I have a feeling some foreign drivers ignore it. It's supposed to be policed because there are no cameras, so it becomes a resource issue."

Flouting the rules

Karl Hodgkinson, group operations director for C Butt, which is based in Northampton, explains that foreign drivers flouting the ban have rendered it irrelevant.

He says: It's a good idea, but it needs support from things like CCTV. It's hard not to sound critical, but virtually every journey Twill make lend up stuck behind a foreign vehicle overtaking another lorry, ban or not.

Hodgkinson adds: "I have never seen a vehicle pulled over for overtaking. They [the police] have got lots of better things to do."

Northamptonshire police tells CM it is taking a rational approach to the scheme and is not running specific patrols to police it.A spokesman did reveal, though, that 71 non-endorsable fixed penalty notices have been issued to lorry drivers for ignoring the ban since April 2007.

John Bridge, the chief executive of Cambridgeshire's Chamber of Commerce, says a commitment from the Government to upgrade the Al4 into a three-lane road in Cambridgeshire must not be derailed due to the economic

crisis."Earn concerned that there will not be any money for main infrastructure projects. Public expenditure is far Lou high. Once you get through this current crisis, there could be a real reduction in public funding."

Bridge also raises concerns about a lack of action. "It's OK baying lots of rhetoric, proposals and ideas but nothing happens in practice."

It is generally agreed that road widening projects will ease congestion, but Hodgkinson points out that this could he a temporary fix. -Why don't they increase the whole of the A1.4? I appreciate that it's the cost, but they might have to do it anyway. Why not do it now?'

Over in Suffolk, as the Al 4 approaches the UK's largest deep-sea container terminal, congestion problems are, if anything. worse. During 2007,266 million tonnes of goods were moved by road through the region, and 29 million tonnes were collected from the region's ports.

A report published last month by the East of England Regional Assembly says stretches of the A14 will be operating in excess of capacity by 2021.The response

from the ports is that greater use of the rail network will offset the impact of their expansion plans. However, the report warns: "Increasing the use of rail freight will be difficult due to constrained network capacity and restricted loading gauges. Road traffic will take up the slack... with further congestion and environmental costs."

Parking issues

Parking issues linked to the A14 preys heavily on the minds at Suffolk County Council. Stung by residents' complaints about lorries parking on housing estates and hearing the brunt of congestion problems, next year the council will be educating people about the importance of road haulage.

It also holds the Highways Agency responsible for much of the chaos. The council's portfolio holder for transport, Guy McGregor, says: "There's no hard shoulder or facilities for HGV drivers to park up in a civilised fashion."

He adds: "There should be a high level slipway from the Al2 to the A14; and the Highways Agency should be looking at a northern bypass around Ipswich."

The HighwaysAgency did not respond to these comments. •


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