B.E.A.M.A. Attack Motorway Rule
Page 31
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PAA PROTEST against the proposal to prohibit abnormal indivisible loads from motorways has been sent by the British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers' Association to Sir Gilmour Jenkins, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Members of Parliament and certain peers.
The Association regret that the Minister did not consult the heavy electrical and allied plant industry before taking action.
Difficulties caused by the inadequate trunk road system had been resolved largely by co-operation with the Ministry in routeing and by technical development to meet the continuous demands, both at home and abroad, for equipment of greater efficiency and capacity without increasing its size or weight, said B.E.A.M.A. The problem of moving outsize loads was difficult enough without the Minister making matters worse.
Outside towns and villages, where dual-carriageways at present existed, heavy loads did not cause congestion or delay. It was possible for them to move at higher speed with greater safety and with less inconvenience to other road users.
"There may he good reasons in the national interest why the proposed exclusion of abnormal indivisible loads should not apply to such loads constructed for naval, military or other defence purposes," said B.E.A.M.A., " but the contribution of industry in times of peace to the national interest in the home and export markets is equally important. The electrical and allied manufacturing industry is the second largest exporting industry in this country and any serious festriction on the movement of loads, as eavisaged by the proposed Order, would be a great handicap to the maintenance and development of its export trade."
The Minister already had adequate powers to control the movement of outsize loads.
[The debate in the House of Commons on the Minister's proposal is reported on page 9.) COACH STATION APPROVED
T'HE new coach reception station planned for Scarborough has been approved by the watch committee (The Commercial . Motor, July 18), The project will cost £15,610, and the council have been recommended to take the necessary steps to get work started.