Attack on lorry park delays
Page 25
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• An attack over the lack of progress being made on the 50 safe lorry parks proposed by the DoE came on Friday at Carlisle from executive officer of the Road Haulage Association, Mr George Mitchell.
Addressing members of the Northern area, Mr Mitchell complained of a lot of talk but little action. And he added: "During the period of enthusiasm, the department put two special clauses into the Highways Act 1971 which gave them permission to provide funds for lorry parks. The working party report came out nearly two years ago, but so far not a sod has been turned. What we need are lorry parks now."
Mr Mitchell told members that after the initial report, he sat on 12 working parties throughout the country who reached much the same conclusions. A lot more paper work has been churned out but nothing has materialised, he claimed.
Mr Mitchell suggested that interim parks should be set up within the next year, with a life of about 15 years and prefabricated buildings with a five-to seven-year life could provide accommodation.
"There would also be the long-term sites which, in many cases, still do not look as though they will be available in my lifetime." He concluded: "Local authorities are being encouraged to ban lorries parking on the streets — we are not opposed to this but there must be somewhere for them to go."