TGWU slams Richmond for truckpark closure
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• The Transport and General Workers' Union is attacking a London local authority for banning trucks from the only official vehicle park in the borough.
It has written to Richmond Council protesting about its decision to turn away truck drivers from, the Old Deer car park on the A316, Shadow Transport Secretary John Prescott, has promised to take the matter up with the local authority: "It is a disgrace these facilities are being taken away from lorry drivers," he says. "Government obsession with ideology has failed to provide adequate roadside facilities for lorry drivers. The new National Transport Forum, which we will establish on day one of a Labour government, will reevaluate the plans outlined in the Government's white paper
Roads for Prosperity. Part of that will be to re-examine the provision of driver facilities and give it the political priority it deserves."
The TGWU predicts that many of the truck drivers who used the site — which attracted about 20 HGVs a night — will stop overnight on side roads in residential areas. The nearest alternative truckstops are in Kingston, Shepherds Bush, and on the nearby M3 and M4 motorways. "There are very few places in the West of London which have official parking facilities for truck drivers," says TGWU road transport commercial officer Barry Jackson.
Richmond Council says it has evicted truckers from the 30year-old truckstop because of the "operational difficulties" of running the site.