Cordon draws tighter
Page 7
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COURT ACTION by industry associations has failed to stop the Windsor coroon lorry route scheme going into operation — and a High Court judge has said that it raises serious legal issues.
Mr Justice Wien told the Freight Transport Association, the Road Haulage Association and the National Farmers Union that he accepted that the cordon, with its ban on heavy vehicles in the area, was putting severe cost on local industry.
But he added that "the balance of convenience" lay with the county council in that they would have to remove the order if the action went against them.
Now the FTA is preparing a case to be heard in full in the High Court in the light of the comments made by Mr Justice Wien.
Applying for the order to have the cordon removed, the organisations told the court that it was costing at least £16,000 a day in increased operating costs, but despite this, the judge still refused to grant the interim order banning the cordon.
In defence, the Berkshire County Council claimed that it had taken into account the added cost of the cordon to the local industry.
Operators with lorries going into the area at any time have been advised to apply for permits to enter the area. They can be obtained — by post only — from the County Surveyor, Kennet House, King's Road, Reading, Berks, but they may take several weeks to be processed.