Missing pieces in route jigsaw
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AN ENLARGED network of designated routes for heavy lorries should be introduced on an advisory basis for several years, says a joint committee representative of the Midlands Road Development Group and the Transport and General oL kers Union.
At a meeting with Mr Jim Hannigan, regional director for the Department of the Environment in the West Midlands, last week. five key points were put to Mr Hannigan by Mr Brian Mathers (regional secretary, TGWU (Midlands)and Mr Francis Charlton (chair man, Midlands Road Development Group).
He said, first, that the network offered for consultation by the DoE was a jigsaw with many places missing (like M42) or hesitatingly inserted (like MI-Al link).
The co-ordinated planning of designated routes required more information about lorry movements than was now available and a close study was needed of the integration of national routes with local links within conurbations.
The third point was that
hgv licensed drivers who were intelligent and thoughtful persons would not use unsuitable roads without good reason for doing so.
Lorry drivers would be more likely to use a designated lorry route network if proper facilities such as overnight parking, fuelling and feeding were provided -as against compulsion.
And lastly that too little account was taken of the effect of proper vehicle scheduling (which would often be impossible with such a limited number of designated routes) on the costs of moving goods.