Newport Steelworks Haulage Cleared, Says Minister
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MEWPORT'S traffic position—there
11 were 5,000 loads a' day going to the Spencer steelworks site during the summer—has not been untoward, says Mr. Ernest Marples, the Minister of Transport. He made these observations in a letter to Mr. Harold Finch. M.P. for Bedwellty. who wrote to the Minister last month citing reports of accidents involving shale lorries.
Mr. Marples explained that the overloading and maintenance of lorries are covered by the law, and said: "The police are doing all they can to enforce these safeguards, and the Ministry's vehicle examiners, who have power to examine goods vehicles, have made a number of checks on the vehicles entering or leaving Nee Llanwern area.
"In some cases, orders prohibiting the further use of vehicles until repairs have been carried out have been issued. These checks are continuing," said Mr. Marples. "On the question of the hours worked by drivers, the Ministry's traffic examiners have also carried out spot checks on
drivers' records. They have not, however, so far revealed any material offences," he said. "Speeding is a matter for the police. They have taken on as many cases as they could."
Mr. Finch said that he was satisfied by the Minister's assurance that the police and vehicle examiners were watching the position.
The drivers concerned were defended by Mr. Edward Ramage, a director of the main contractors, Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons, Ltd., when speaking at a Newport dinner last Friday. He said: "By •co-operating with the police authorities, without whose help the problem could not have been solved, we reached a stage where a lorry was coming to or leaving the site, on an average, every six seconds.
"Over 1,000 drivers were employed at the peak. When the figures of accidents are regarded in their true light, I am sure most people will agree that they compare more than favourably with any other type of road transport."