Eledion strengthens ban
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• London's night and weekend ban for lorries over 16.5 tonnes looks more likely to remain in force following last week's local elections.
Now the Conservatives, who oppose the ban, control just 11 of London's 33 boroughs and probably hold the balance of power in one other.
Labour controls 15 boroughs now and seems likely to hold the balance in another, while the Alliance parties control two and are set to hold the balance in two more. Generally, Labour and Alliance boroughs support the lorry ban.
The Labour politicians had hoped for a bigger victory to ensure the ban's existence, and its future is still not completely clear.
In June the Association of London Borough Engineers and Surveyors (Albes) is reporting back to the boroughs on the ban's performance and progress.
Then there is to be a decision to continue or discontinue the ban, but the debate is bound to be fierce, with the Conservatives possibly calling on Transport Secretary Nicholas Ridley to use his powers to revoke it.
Ridley is bound to be cautious to act as a result of his embarrassing High Court defeat when he tried to block the ban last year.
As we closed for press on Tuesday, Ridley was expected to tell the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors that a study of Britain's trunk roads will include the possibility of widening the M25 London orbital route.