krmitage may say fes to heavier hgv
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R ARTHUR ARMITAGE gave a clear hint last week that his wiry is moving towards an increase in permitted lorry aights when he took verbal evidence from the Association Chief Police Officers, ALAN MILLAR reports.
The Inquiry was seeking ulfication on detail points, d Sir Arthur mentioned the oblems encountered in enfor ig present 32.5-tonne lit.
The ACPO agreed that a 3840-tonne limit would be sier to enforce, and pointed it it did not relish having to ial with a lorry which has ivelled legally across Europe, it has to be partly unloaded "en it arrives in Britain.
It said it was more concerned iout overloaded small vehicles which, in their view, are a danger to the public. There is no public danger in a 38-tonne lorry running with 37 tonnes aboard, and it is often very difficult to spot when it is carrying more than 32.5 tonnes.
ACPO believes that overloading happens largely because British and European weight limits are out of step, and British operators feel that they cannot compete effectively with their foreign counterparts unless they run to the 38or 40-tonne limit. "The closer we can get to Europe on traffic law and enforcement, the better," ACPO told Sir Arthur, and added that the public would not support a big purge on traffic offences when crime and vandalism are bigger problems to be tackled.
It went on to say that lorry bans should be applied with caution and on a limited scale. According to the ACPO, they work in a few places, but cannot be enforced on a wide scale.
"Huge area bans are virtually unenforceable. Bans should be self-enforcing," said ACP°. And it pointed out that the easiest prohibition to enforce is a time ban because there was no doubt when a lorry was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It also favours raising speed limits in line with speeds done normally by drivers. The limit for lorries should be 40mph on single carriageway roads, 50mph on dual carriageways, and 60mph on motorways. For other vehicles it should be 60, 70 and 80mph respectively.
ACPO also favours the Foster proposals for controls to be kept on small operators' premises.