Period of grace for sideguards?
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NEYMOON PERIOD for retrospective fitting of sideguards to nne lorries is being given sympathetic consideration by the rtment of Transport, and an announcement may be made next ▪ report our news and Parliamentary staff Freight Transport Asso n and Road Haulage Asso
n have been lobbying the m this point, saying that it )bably impossible for the -s which need sideguards by May 1 to be fitted in and a honeymoon period like being the most satis-y option.
Iv is no question of new es being excluded from deguard requirement, but -etrospective requirement lards being fitted to trailers will be plated for opera, 38-tonne combinations is
consideration", accordthe DTp and word in Wester is tht Transport under tary Lynda Chalker may a favourable announcenext week.
ranted, it is likely to extend end of this year.
;options facing the DTp are honeymoon period, for all -s to be fitted by May 1, or le retrospective fitting rernent to be dropped. The realistic option is the (moon period.
there is considerable usion among operators I the legal requirement on I guards, and the May 1 me for 38-tonners being sed is now 10 weeks away, itors intending to take adge of the new limits would enalised if they are not ed some leeway.
operators' associations 'essing the DTp for an early ion on retrospective fitting, hey say it is probably too For operators to fit sideIs to those trailers which be operated in 38-tonne inations.
it the Opposition has ad the Government that it id delay the introduction of nne lorries if manufacturers inable to fit sideguards in
)position Transport esman Bob Hughes said f there was any suggestion rt implementing any single yf the package of proposals )ccompany the decision to increase the maximum weight, then Transport Secretary David Howell would be guilty of "gravely misleading" MPs.
"If he can't meet his promise he should hold up the introduction of the heavier lorries until all the promises are met," Mr Hughes told CM.
The DTp is also reviewing the position affecting foreign 38 tonners after May 1. Complete units will be treated as temporary imports and are unlikely to be brought into scope, but unaccompanied trailers are a different matter, and the Dip has not ruled out the possibility of insisting that they be fitted with sideguards when used behind British tractive units.