Transport 2000 says 'no' to heavier lorries
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TRANSPORT 2000 claims that heavier lorries will increase our nergy consumption and become less efficient, contradicting lirectly with the views of the road haulage industry.
To support this argument he anti-road transport pressire group has looked at road iaulage development over the ast ten years. It points out hat the use of heavy lorries as grown considerably but hat fuel consumption per ton nile has increased by eight per This is due, says Transport 000, to a decline in payload. It ays: "Lorries are using their :arrying capacity less .fficiently than they were ten 'ears ago." If the EEC propoals for even heavier lorries .re adopted, the group sees his efficiency declining urther and transport costs ;oing up rather than falling.
Instead, it has told the krmitage Inquiry that there re several measures to everse this.
Firstly, it suggests that what calls "juggernauts" should e made to pay more tax, overing not only identifiable rack costs but also social and nvironmental costs.
Secondly, the Government hould actively encourage the runking of goods by rail ither than road. This should e done by widening the scope f the 1974 Railways Act under thich a grant is made to a ianufacturer towards the ost of a private railway .ding.
Transport 2000 suggests at a similar grant could also e awarded for the building of private wharves on inland waterways.
Planning and industrial development policy should be angled to encourage the location of industry near railways• or canals.
Transport 2000 wants a Department of Transport study into road haulage efficiency and a way of reducing lorry numbers by increasing payloads — not heavier lorries. Finally, it wants heavy goods vehicle taxation to increase with mileage and proposes an extra tax on derv.
Transport 2000 is affiliated to such organisations as the National Union of Railwaymen, Canal Transport Marketing Board, the Cyclists' Touring Club, Friends of the Earth, Pedestrians' Association, and the National Federation of Women's Institutes, some of which have already contacted Armitage.