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Parking guidance won't help

22nd December 2005
Page 12
Page 12, 22nd December 2005 — Parking guidance won't help
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Parking, Truck Driver

Surprise, surprise — the government hasn't considered the problems trucks face when unloading in town centres. Chris Tindall reports.

GUIDANCE GIVEN to councils to ensure they are even-handed when handing out parking lines will ignore the lack of loading and unloading facilities for trucks, says a Junior Transport Minister.

The statutory guidance will advise local authorities about the enforcement of traffic contraventions.A lack of clarity and wide-ranging inconsistncies have led to operators receiving ten of thousands of pounds worth of parking fines, particularly in London.

The Freight Transport Association says more truck drivers are being hit with fines as loading areas are reduced and it can't advise its members without harmonisation of the rules.

But Karen Buck MP says the Department for Transport has no plans to address the "specifics of unloading and loading facilities". and it won't increase the time for a company to respond to a ticket from 14 days. "We'll be introducing statutory guidance and trying to ensure we're tackling some of the problems identified," Buck adds. "We want to ensure there's good practice everywhere."

Mike Bracey, for the Brewery Logistics Group, says parking tickets are costing his members £700,000 a year: "We must park outside [customer's premises] — we can't push kegs up or down the road. Who else is going to take responsibility for any accidents? We'll have to park where we shouldn't park, or else not deliver."

The guidance notes will go out for consultation in the new year.


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