BAN DEFENCE
Page 18
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I note from recent issues of CM that David Holmes, MD of Holmes of Heathrow, has written to you yet again about the London Lorry Ban.
As a person who has been involved with the enforcement of the Greater London Traffic Order from the very start, I cannot accept his assertions that we as an organisation (he still calls us the LBTS) are "ludicrous", and "just plain daft". I know from my 14 years of involvement with this that we have made a difference to the quality of life of countless Londoners.
He also seems to think that we are just obsessed with prosecuting operators, when this is simply not the case. We regard raising the level of compliance, by assisting operators with route planning and offering other advice as a significant aspect of our work.
Also, contrary to his apparent beliefs, we have not stood still. Over the years we have made many changes, From discontinuing the requirement to display exemption plates to the new approach under Permit Condition 5.
We are also committed to co-operating with the planned review of the ban to see if any further changes can appropriately be made.
May I take this opportunity to invite him to come in and see me, though I can tell him in advance that I will not concede the use of High Street, Cranford as a shortcut and that as a part of the uprating of the Excluded Route Network, we did exclude the section of Faggs Road that leads to Radius Park.
But there are many other issues we could discuss. I cannot promise that he will depart a wiser man, but when it comes to the Lorry Ban, he would leave better informed. Christopher Hudson-God, London.