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Park will turn into a garden
Page 12
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A council says the FTA and RHA didn't object to a truckstop
closure. Jennifer Ball reports.
THE TRADE ASSOCIATIONS have denied letting down their members after a local council defended its decision to close a truck park because it received no objections from them.
Following consultation New Forest District Council will axe Totton Truck Park as part of its plans to regenerate the land, replacing it with an "attractive landscaped area".
A council spokesman says: "We consulted on our plans a couple of years ago about regenerating the historic town centre. The road haulage industry was invited to comment on our proposals.
"However, two years on we had heard nothing from either the Road Haulage or Freight Transport Associations so our natural assumption was that they had no objection to the regeneration so we are pushing ahead with our plans."
But the FTA denies these claims. Sally King, FTA policy communications co-ordinator says: "We objected most strongly to this closure and raised a number of concerns about it such as whether the council would be looking at alternative sites for overnight truck parking. We even received a letter from them telling us that our concerns were considered."
Chrys Rampley, security and infrastructure manager for the RHA, says she hadn't even heard from the council about any plans to close the park, but as a matter of principle the RHA always objects to any sites being closed.
Local operator David Anderson from Anderson Transport is disappointed with the decision: "The truck park has been there for years. There is no parking for operators now as you can't park at Southampton docks. Everywhere you go we are losing spaces — where are we meant to park?
• Bay Freight in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester is offering secure overnight parking with showers and food for £12 a night. Local Community Party spokesman Jack Crossfield says: "If councils can't or won't put in place such safe havens then they surely must give financial support to such companies that do."