Walker can over-rule Canterbury
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• Mr Peter Walker, Secretary for the Environment, is ready to close an administrative loophole which could enable local authorities to ban heavy lorries from major roads.
Canterbury Council is considering a request that it should ban heavy lorries from major roads within its area.
This could mean that parts of the London-Dover road — A2 — could be closed to the heaviest lorries, and other councils throughout the country might be tempted to take similar action.
The position is that although the DoE is responsible for Britain's trunk roads, when they pass through county boroughs they become the responsibility of the council.
But under the Road Traffic Regulations. made under the 1967 Transport Act, the Secretary of State has the right to over-rule the decisions of local authorities.
If Canterbury decides to go ahead with a lorry ban it will have to advertise its proposals, naming roads to be closed to heavy vehicles, and there would be a public inquiry.
When these processes have been followed the Secretary of State could move in if he disagreed with the proposal.
For the time being the Minister is watching the situation.