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P NEWS EXTRI1

22nd October 2009
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Putting the northern plight on the transport agenda

In the first of a series examining the local issues hauliers face across the UK, CM's Roger Brown goes back to his roots and finds those in the North-West bemoaning the poor state of infrastructure that is hindering them.

Words: Roger Brown / Images: Tom Cunningham

OPERATORS IN the North-West of England read like a who's who of road transport, with names such as Stobart Group, TDCi, Suttons, AK Worthington, Bibby Group and Fagan & Whalley all based in the area.

Hardly surprising, considering the North-West of England is home to seven million people, and boasts an economy worth approximately L98bn (making it larger than countries such as Denmark).

According to the 2008/09 Traffic Commissioners Annual Report, it has some 13,698 0-licences in issue (a fall from the 2007/8 total of 14.296). This is third only to the Eastern (16,148) and NorthEastern (14,864) regions in terms of total numbers.

The North-West is also home to some of the IIK's most important road links, with the M6 artery linking the area to Scotland and the Midlands, intersecting many of the UK's motorways and A-roads running from east to west.

But what do haulage firms in the region currently see as their major areas of concern?

Operations manager at Burnley. Lanes-based haulier Fagan & WhalleyDaniel Wood argues that while a lack of adequate truckstops is a "severe nationwide issue': it

is also one of particular concern to hauliers in this region.

Secure parking

He adds: —lbese days, it only takes a minor issue on the M6, or any motorway for that matter, to cause considerable delays."

As a result, he says: "Secure parking is of vital importance to us. How many secure parking facilities are there between Birmingham and Preston, for example?

We are fortunate that through our relationships with other hauliers, we can direct our drivers to secure areas, but these lack proper facilities for the driver."

Freight Transport Association (ETA) regional policy manager James Firth believes there is concern among hauliers in the North-West about unnecessary clamping of HGVs that stop in motorway service stations in the area.

In fact, over the past year, CM has been repeatedly contacted with stories from owner-drivers about over-zealous clamping incidents at both Knutsford and Lymm services on the M6.

"Being held to ransom for £250 for a comfort break is completely unacceptable," Firth adds. "The flexible deployment of parking facilities for HGVs, coaches and cars who each use parking spaces at different times would certainly alleviate some of our members' concerns over parking."

However, it's not just the issue of parking that crops up. The state of roads is also a matter of concern. Wood believes a new link road between Lancashire and Yorkshire should be built. "We are fortunate here that we are close to the motorway networks," he adds. "Our HQ is live minutes from the M65, giving us direct links to the M6 and M62, "If any improvements could he made, it would he through the development of a link road to Yorkshire. which has been mooted on a number of occasions "Coffie — at the end of the M65 — is a bottleneck for access to Yorkshire and the North-East, especially around the peak times" With regards to traffic access to Manchester from the west, Firth says it is "crucial" the busy A556 is upgraded from its present status as a largely single carriageway.

"The A556 is mostly single carriageway, which doesn't do justice to its role as a key trade route linking the M6 to Manchester airport," he insists. "It is vital this road is upgraded to make it safer and to cope with the traffic it wasn't designed for, but now deals with."

However, Mark Haslam. tanker division managing director at Widnes-based Suttons Group, believes the fact that there are a number of properties valued at more than Lim next to the A556, makes the issue of widening this stretch of road a difficult one.

The issue of rates

He says: "We don't use this road a great deal, so it doesn't affect us significantly, but we understand why it's a big concern. We believe there is an issue of access to Manchester generally."

Haslam concludes that the drop in global trade since the recession hit has meant less congestion around ports such as Liverpool.

A major concern for his firm, though. is the proposed toll charge to be levied across the existing Runcorn-Widnes bridge, which is linked to the building of the new Mersey crossing just to the east of it, planned for 2014.

The proposal is that HGVs will have to pay as much as £10 each way to use the old bridge when the new structure is completed.

"This seems to be the first case of a retrospective toll, on a bridge that has already been paid for through public money," Haslam says. "Most lorries in the area need to get onto the M6, but our rivals on the Runcorn side won't have to pay a thing under the plans Why do we need this retrospective toll when we've paid for the bridge already through our taxes?"

Wood adds that rates are an issue for hauliers in the area, but believes companies must now look outside the region for work due to the gradual downturn in local manufacturing.

He says: "After the demise ol the cotton industries, the area moved into supplying the motor trade in the Midlands, in particular but this again disappeared as tilt factories in the Midlands closed Our customer base now stretche: from Kendal to Cheshire. and w( have an operating centre in flu West Midlands for 25 vehicles "I'd say only around 50% of ow work is local' to us now." •


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