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Felixstowe in delay wrangle

13th November 1997
Page 14
Page 14, 13th November 1997 — Felixstowe in delay wrangle
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Keywords : Felixstowe, River Orwell, Sio

by David Craik • The row between hauliers and managers at the Port of Felixstowe rumbles on after one manager denied telling a driver that improvements in delays at the port won't be seen for the "next 12-18 months".

Driver Fred Gathercole says his meeting with management proves "that the situation at the port is getting no better". Last month Gathercole complained of being forced to wait for 13 hours in one week on the dock to be turned around (CM 23-29 October).

The manager, Wayne Gissing, denies making the comment and adds that "significant improvements in delays will be seen in the next two to three months".

When CM visited the port last week drivers described typical delays of at least three hours, and expressed anger towards the port's management.

One driver commented: "The port is closed between 3.30-4pm due to shift changes. It's the busiest time of the day— it's crazy."

Gissing denies this claim but accepts that on two occasions in the past few months the gate to the port has been closed.

Gathercole says: "The haulier is a pain in the arse to the dock management. We come third behind the ships who get turned round quickly and even the railways."

Another owner-driver says turn-round times at Felixstowe vary from 10 minutes to four hours. "As a rule management does not speak to owner-drivers," he says. "What is needed is for one of the main shipping lines to pull out because their customers are being affected."


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