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Drivers asked for support
Page 11
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I Black Country business leadrs want lorry drivers to add heir voice to the campaign to .elieve worsening traffic con;estion in the region.
The local chamber of cornnerce says truckers often have ar more political clout and ;nowledge about solving local raffic problems than their msses.
George Munro, a divisional iirector of Black Country Thamber 86 Business Link, says: 'Businesses pay thousands of )ounds in rates but are not ictually voters. At the end of the day, there are many lorry drirers who actually live in the area ind are voters as a result."
He Is urging drivers to write :o him with their views which will :hen be used when lobbying OPs, ministers and local authori.les for better roads.
He particularly wants sup3orting comments for a pro3osed by-pass on the western edge of the conurbation. Earlier his summer, an independent
study found that one of the main arguments for the road—to regenerate run-down parts of the region—was not conclusive (CA46-12 June).
Ken McIntosh, business development manager for Oldbury-based Birds Grouoage, is the haulier representative on the chamber's transport working group. He says: "Drivers can be valuable contributors to the debate. Its no good getting a load of academics to give you all the clever stuff. At the end of the day, you have to get the guys who drive on the streets every day and know where the bad places are."
He adds that there are plenty of simple alterations to roads which could improve traffic flow in the short-term.
Munro can be contacted at the chamber's office in Dudley Court South, Waterfront East, Brierley Hill, West Midlands DY5 1XN,