Lorry bans probe
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ERATORS throughout Britain should tell the Greater London uncil what effects night and weekend lorry bans in the capital luld have on them, says Freight Transport Association directorleral Hugh Featherstone.
3oth British and foreign arators running into London th deliveries would be acted, he said. They should operate with the FTA in its studies into the effect of a ban.
Already, London-based operators have claimed that, 7,000 jobs could be threatened by a lorry ban, as companies would consider moving out of the capital, and the FTA is now sponsoring more detailed research which is being fed to the GLC.
Information is already beginning to flow in on the ban effects, and Mr Featherstone, talking to FTA Humberside members on Tuesday, urged them to co-operate at the earliest opportunity.
Both the FTA and the Road Haulage Association have had preliminary discussions with GLC officials about the effects of night and weekend bans, which the GLC wants to have implemented at the earliest opportunity (CM, October 1).
They are at pains to point out that they will resist the weekend and night plan, even though it appears a soft option to a possible total ban in the future.
But the target date for GLC officers to report back to the transport committee on the feasibility of a ban has already slipped. Councillors voted last week to move the deadline from December until February.
The industry's willingness to co-operate with the GLC in assessing the effects of a ban were welcomed this week when the council's transport and development controller, Audrey' Lees, spoke to the ETA's London members.
The Wood Report on the effects of heavy lorry bans in London, which led to the council's push for night and weekend bans, had concentrated its efforts on looking at total bans, she said. So much more information is still needed.
It will be especially necessary for operators to tell the GLC officers of the hours between which a night ot weekend ban would have a minimal effect on industry.
But she hinted that even the abolition of the GLC would not mean the end of calls for total lorry bans. Politicians of all parties are under pressure to do something to control lorry traffic in London, and the completion of the M25 could make total bans more feasible.