Traffic Area staff vote for action
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by Miles Brignall • Traffic Area Office staff have voted five to one in favour of taking industrial action to oppose closure of the Manchester and Cardiff offices.
The unions have already given the Department of Transport the required sevendays' notice of possible industrial action. They are also questioning the savings the Government is likely to make from the closures.
Before stepping down (see opposite page), Transport Minister Steven Norris said the department was looking for savings of between £500,000 and Lim from the closures. The unions argue that becatiCardiff and Manchestel ' take space in larger bt,i .
that also house oi!ier Government departments, ings will be minimal after relocation costs are included.
In its latest consultation document the DOT suggests new boundaries for the remaining six 1'A0s, which could result in hauliers in South Wales reporting to Bristol rather than Birmingham as previously suggested.
Llanelli-based haulier Hugh Owens welcomes the switch because Bristol is closer but says local hauliers would still prefer Cardiff to stay open