Sir Arthur Armitage dies at 67
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SIR ARTHUR ARMITAGE, whose 1980 report on lorries, people and the environment paved the way for 38-tonne lorries last year, has died. He was 67.
Sir Arthur, who was knighted in 1975, was educated at an Oldham grammar school and Queens' College, Cambridge before pursuing a distinguished law career. He was a vice-chancellor of Cambridge University from 1965 to 1967, a deputy vicechancellor from 1967 to 1970, and vice-chancellor of Manchester University from 1970 to 1980.
But it was as chairman of the Government-appointed independent inquiry into lorries, people and the environment that he will long be remembered in road transport circles. With four assessors, he sifted through 1,834 written submissions from many individuals and organisations and conducted 34 oral hearings.
National attention was diverted from publication of the report on December 9, 1980, as news of the murder of singer John Lennon broke early that morning, but the eyes of the industry focused on its contents, which recommended heavier lorries of 34, 38, 40 and 44 tonnes and a series (Sir Arthur always insisted it was not a "package") of controls to soften their effect.
Soon after, Sir Arthur told the House of Commons transport committee: "I am sad that the report has been described as leading to the introduction of 44 tonne lorries. It really is nothing of the kind."
Successive Transport Secretaries Norman Fowler and David Howell dropped most of the weight increase proposals before the 38-tonne increase only (with no change to drawbar combinations) was passed by Parliament in November 1982 and implemented in May last year.
After retiring from Manchester, Sir Arthur became chairman of the Social Security Advisory Committee and reported again to Norman Fowler, as Social Services Secretary, last year.