Keep roads free: F TA
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IT IS ESSENTIAL that trunk roads and motorways should be kept open throughout the winter, otherwise freight distribution will break down, the Freight Transport Association warned in a letter to the Department of Transport.
Commenting on Junior Transport Minister Kenneth Clarke's announcement last week that winter road maintenance expenditure by the DTp was being kept at last year's £6m level, ETA director general Hugh Featherstone said that there has been a significant number of complaints about winter maintenance from ETA members, especially in North-east England.
He said that, at the very minimum, all motorways and trunk roads should be kept open and clear of ice 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "This is imperative for the vital links upon which industry relies," he said.
And he went on to warn the Department that all other roads should be maintained to a common standard, so that users know what to expect. Otherwise, said Mr Featherstone, distribution companies will be unable to cope.
"There seems to be a real danger of industry being sandwiched between Government policy of looking for economies in public expenditure, and local authorities which claim they have insufficient money to do the job," Mr Featherstone said.
According to the ETA, many operators are worried about what might happen during the next cold snap.
Mr Clarke said last week: "We intend to provide safer conditions. Clearly, we cannot guarantee to keep all roads free of snow and ice throughout the winter months."