Pro-lorry controls rule in Strathclyde
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LORRY-ONLY loading areas have been designated in central Glasgow as part of Strathclyde Regional Council's generally pro-industry approach to lorry controls. ALAN MILLAR reports.
The council has been concerned for some time that loading exemptions in areas with parking restrictions are being abused by car owners, and it has specified commercial vehicles only in orders recently made for a semi-pedestrianised part of Argyle Street in Glasgow.
This is intended to simplify enforcement of parking restric tions, and may be extended to other schemes if it is successful. Such controls fit in generally. with Strathclyde's overriding aim to maximise job opportunities.
Its widest-spread control measure is an overnight parking ban on commercial vehicles over 1.5 tons unladen in large parts of the Glasgow district, but which is supported by designated parking sites away from residential or environmentally sensitive areas.
Most of this control measure has been in force since 1977, and the council believes it has helped contribute towards an overall reduction in the number of lorries parked on public roads.
It was extended recently to cover the Cambuslang and Rutherglen areas to the south-east of Glasgow and it is backed up by a fixed penalty system, with first offenders being fined £20, and subsequent offenders £50.
Strathclyde has also created an overnight lorry park in Hamilton, where problems had arisen over lorries using the M74/A74 route to England. The Brandon Street car park is available for lorry parking from 6pm to 8am, but is physically inaccessible outside these hours. A £1 charge is made for lorry parking.
Curiously, the council says it has no evidence of any demand for secure lorry parking areas in Strathclyde, and it believes that there is not such a serious risk of lorry hijacks in its territory than there is, for instance, in London.
It applies its pro-industry philosophy to pedestrianisation schemes, and most in Strathclyde have been partial ones because of the lack of rear access to shops. Most apply between 10am and 4pm to help traders standardise their delivery times. In Wishaw (Lanarkshire) special low-level pedestrian barriers have been erected in a main street so that lorry loads can be passed over them to shops.
With all traffic management schemes, Strathclyde places final responsibility for going ahead with panels of four or five councillors. One local representative, two representatives from another part of the region, and one or two representatives from the highways committee scrutinise all proposals.