LONDON LUNACY
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• You can't help but admire the nerve of the London Boroughs Transport Committee. This non-elected body, which issues permits allowing operators to use the capital's roads during unsocial hours, has arguably wasted more hauliers' time than anyone except the Department of Transport in its more obtuse legislative moods.
Now the LBTC wants selected operators applying for a permit to fill out a questionnaire giving the details of all their deliveries in the ban area over the past six months. According to the LBTC it's to help them see if the haulier really needs his permit.
But it seems that the LBTC is finally alienating even the London boroughs who apply the ban. This year Enfield, Ealing and Hillingdon are pulling out; next year they will be followed by Kingston and Brent. That will leave 19 boroughs from the original 24. So much for solidarity.
CM hasn't been slow to criticise the LBTC for its bureaucratic meddling — but we'll promise to shut up if the Committee can produce 5,000 letters from London residents who say their quality of life has been improved by the ban.
Why 5,000? That's the number of hauliers currently holding permits. Of course it would involve the LBTC in a little paperwork, but we imagine they're used to it by now.