ETA considers hush options
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• The Freight Transport Association's letter to the London Residuary Body complaining about its administration of lorry ban exemption permits has received an acknowledgement — but no answers.
This coming Thursday the FTA will decide whether to take direct action in the courts or pursue the matter with the Ombudsman.
It is objecting to the LRB's conditions that operators must agree to tit hush kits to their vehicles to be granted a permit (CM August 23). Under GLC administration operators only had to "consider" fitting such equipment.
"Every day operators are hearing from the LRB saying that unless they fit vehicle silencing equipment they will not be issued with a permit," says PTA planning and traffic services manager Don McIntyre. "We have been unsuccessful in getting the LRB to talk to us to change its policy. A return to the High Court would test the legality of these conditions." For a case to be heard at High Court level an individual operator will have to take the LRB to court but first he must appeal through the LRB's own appeals procedure which has not yet been fuialised.
A number of operators have already tried to appeal against the conditions and the LRB is supposed to be getting the machinery sorted out.
If dissatisfied with the outcome of the appeal the operator will then be able to proceed through the courts.
As the LRB also comes within the purview of the Par liamentary Ombudsman the FTA's other option is to raise the issue of alleged maladministration there.