Avon declares war on 'juggernauts'
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RUES could be banned from large areas of the County of Avon, if s being discussed earlier this week are implemented, writes N MILLAR.
a self-styled declaration of on "juggernauts and other vy lorries", the Labour rolled council has given noof its intention to impose -ictions on the movement of es in Bristol and Bath, and is pared to force the introducof trans-shipment centres. )eaking before a meeting of Avon planning, highways transportation committee Tuesday, council leader Bill 'es said that heavy lorries e caused environmental )Iems and have imposed itional road maintenance lens upon the community.
t is time we did something ut it, and we have taken the es Act of 1973 down from the If, blown off the dust, and I intend to take. immediate on," he said.
ae council is investigating possibility of imposing a colaround urban centres like .tol, Bath, and even parts of inmouth, and preventing lorover an unspecified weight n running inside a two-mile ius of these centres, t would enforce trans)ment of loads from outside areas concerned, and does appear to be in favour of lilting access concession ig the lines of those which ily in Windsor, Cumbria, or the A58 in Leeds.
he council will consult irators' organisations, police, enity societies, trades unions, I other road users, before it makes any moves, and Mr Graves is in no doubt about the likely storm of protest which could ensue.
As an immediate measure, the meeting on Tuesday authorised the county engineer to draw up a report on the short-term measures which can be given the highest priority. It regards the "collar" as a long-term plan, and wants to start by devising local schemes which will not have a detrimental effect on trade or industry.
Quick to rise to the industry's defence, Road Haulage Association Western Area secretary Paul Carless told CM that the longterm plan showed Mr Graves and his colleagues to be "modern-day Luddites", and predicted that around 500 of his members in the county could have their businesses put at risk if a ban is introduced. A Freight Transport Association spokesman who, like Mr Carless, said he was looking for more details of the proposal, told CM: "As a statement of intent, this gives us serious cause for concern. It could lead to a loss of confidence on the part of industry in Avon."
In the meantime, the FTA has begun to draw up battle plans for the projected inquiry into lorry bans in London, and traffic officer Don McIntyre said this week that several member companies have indicated that they are "prepared and anxious" to give evidence when the enquiry starts work.
Before the Greater London Council election last May, the now-ruling Labour group said it wanted the inquiry to report back by January 1982 at the latest. But the chairman and other panel members had still to be appointed as we closed for press this week.