DTp denies overloading
Page 5
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
DEPARTMENT of Transport officials last week denied that any overloading concessions are being made which permit 38 tonne lorries to run at 39 or 40 tonnes.
Three officials were giving evidence at the first public meeting of the reconstituted House of Commons transport select committee, which was pursuing the DTp's views on action taken on reports published by the committee during the last Parliament.
Labour MP Gordon Bagier raised the Association of Metropolitan Authorities' recent revelation (CM, January 28) that at least four Traffic Areas are turning a blind eye to overloads of five per cent, and are only demanding that the load be moved on a lorry overloaded by between five and 10 per cent.
These figures were verified to CM by North Western Licensing Authority Roy Hutchings, who confirmed that they had been adopted by all LAs.
Mr Bagier wondered whether this flew in the face of the wishes of Parliament, which had insisted on the 38-tonne limit after the Government first proposed a 40-tonne limit, but DTp transport industries Deputy Secretary John Palmer denied that there was any DTp recognition of overloading tolerances and said it was up to the LAs, trading standards departments, and the police to enforce the law.
He said the DTp had increased its enforcement effort in line with the wishes of Parliament.
Mr Palmer said it was not a matter for the DTp to issue guidelines to the LAs on this matter. The LAs were encouraged to communicate with one another to exchange experiences and decide on the best practice for enforcement. "I think it is arguable that in a particular area several enforcement authorities should follow the same practice," he added.
Despite persistent questioning from Mr Bagier, Mr Palmer insisted that no DTp guidelines have been issued, and when asked whether operators should be presecuted if they are overloaded, he said that "different enforcement authorities would take different views."
He did say, however, that it would be "quite wrong" to say, as the AMA has alleged, that DTp is permitting 40-tonne lorrieS to be run "by the back door".