Weizel spells it out
Page 7
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IPERATORS througout the country with lorries over 16.5 tonnes till need to apply for exemption permits from the Greater Lonon Council, if night and weekend lorry ban goes ahead.
GLC transport committee hair Dave Wetzel told over 100 -ansport managers at a Freight ransport Association meeting -1 London last week that every wry over 16.5 tonnes entering GLC in banned times would aquire an exemption permit. This meant that if a lorry only eeded to travel once into LonIon at the banned times it ifould most probably have to ave a £400 "hush-kit"fitted, le added.
All operators could take adantage of one-year honeymoon" period however, le said.
They would be given a lermit on the day the ban beIan, but would have up to a 'ear to satisfy the GLC that hey met environmental stanlards. Fresh food carriers may e given two years, he said.
There would also be a few xceptions — for example if a )rry had to be drafted in to lear a dangerous spilled load a iermit would not be required. When questioned on how .ondon manufacturers would ope with sudden peaks in denand, and faced with no lorries tile to deliver to London, Mr Vetzel said that hauliers would le available.
He said: "If they are finding it lard to make ends meet, it's in heir own selfish interest to get I permit." He pleaded for operators to "support the GLC ban and help in implementing it". Mr Wetzel said he recognised the problems operators would face but their support was needed.
But he also warned that the demands of Londoners for a better environment would not go away. He said that operators could end up worse off if the planned lorry ban failed and there was increased pressure for lorry controls. Another form of control could be more damaging and costly.