Hauliers suffer in German permit delay
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PRINTING difficulties have delayed the issue of new Wf German road haulage permits, but the Department of Transpc plans to clear the backlog of applications within days.
The International Road Freight Office at Newcastleupon-Tyne has been unable to issue any single journey, permits this year, as the West German authorities have not sent any.
This has caused difficulties for several hauliers, including one who told CM he had eight vehicles otherwise ready to leave for Saudi Arabia, and DTp is trying to ease their difficulties.
It is treating all applications for permits on their merits, rather than in strict rotation, and it is investigating whether an alternative document can be used, as was done last year when industrial action at IRFO halted the permit supply. But spokesmen for DTp a] IRFO assured CM this we, that they anticipated early livery of permit forms, al hoped to be back to normall the end of this week.
The delays have come at traditionally, difficult time f the Newcastle office whii has to cope with an escalatil in permit deman immediately after ti Christmas break.
While it sympathises wi operators' plight, it says th they should allow at least days for renewal of permi over the Christmas perio Under normal circumstanc{ applications can be process1 within 24 hours.