LPG reprieve for Blackwall tunnel
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THE proposed ban on vehicles carrying LPG through the Blackwall tunnel has been deferred for the time being until the DoE and Home Office can get together with industry to discuss more practical proposals for the carriage of LPG as a fuel through the tunnel.
The decision follows a meeting last Friday between representatives from the GLC, DoE, Home Office, London Fire Brigade and representatives from the ETA, the LPG Industry Technical Association and LPG suppliers.
At the same time it was decided that the industry would not object to the proposed restrictions of the Rotherhythe tunnel from being proceeded with.
The industry is confident that a more realistic approach to the whole question of tunnel bans will result from the meeting. The ban on the Rotherhythe tunnel will take affect as soon as the necessary legislation is passed and when this is done the carriage of LPG in quantities of more than 32Ib will be prohibited. This effectively prevents all vehicles using LPG as a fuel (except towed caravans) but since there is already a width restriction operating within the tunnel the net result to operators will be slight.
So far as the Blackwall tunnel is concerned vehicles will continue to be allowed to use the tunnel for the time being provided they are carrying less than 2001b of LPG — far more than the needs of most operators. A census carried out by the GLC .in 1971 showed that 1,100 commercial vehicles used the tunnel each day, of which 200 vehicles were refrigerated trucks.
The proposed bans on the Mersey, Tyne and Dartford tunnels still stand in spite of proposals from industry for escorts or disconnection of equipment. The contention of the industry is that these three tunnels are attended while those at Rotherhythe and Blackwall are not.
In addition, industry and user representatives were due to meet on Wednesday to discuss ways of increasing protection to LPG tanks and cylinders.