Neights inquiry still possible Rodgers
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RANSPORT Minister rilliam Rodgers is condering holding a public iniiry into the future of lorry eights in Britain.
He confirmed this possiblity an exclusive interview with M at the Brighton Freight now last week.
"It is an issue that people !el very strongly about — and arfectly legitimately, there 7e those who believe that we iould have no heavy lorries f any kind — never mind ansidering increasing the 'eight," he said.
"There are those who think at heavier weights would ither mean fewer lorries or lore efficient manufacturers rid transport in this country, nd so I have to recognise the !gitimacy of such views," said Ir Rodgers.
"That is why I have been onsidering the possibility of an inquiry — but I have come to no conclusion yet."
The best way for the issue to be settled would be for the argument to be aired so that an independent and impartial body could give recommendations to the Government, thought Mr Rodgers.
But he warned that he proposed no changes in vehicle weights at present.
Mr Rodgers admitted that there is pressure from Europe for the top weight limit to be increased, but he said that this was only because the rest of Europe wished to carry more conveniently large quantities of freight.
"I think that bigger lorries could be very damaging. People are afraid of them, they are very smelly, they are very noisy, they are dangerous on roads not suitable for them and so I have made it very clear indeed that I have no intention at the moment of proposing any change in lorry weights," said Mr Rodgers.
On overloaded vehicles, Mr Rodgers said that he was worried about increases in the numbers of overloaded vehicles coming away from ports.
He promised that Department of Transport inspectors would do everything they could to cut down on the numbers of overloaded vehicles on Britain's roads.