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Hauliers Lambast 'farcical' abnormal Loads system

4th December 2008
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Page 14, 4th December 2008 — Hauliers Lambast 'farcical' abnormal Loads system
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By Chris Tindall HEAVY HAULIERS have called a complex online system aiming to make the planning and notification of abnormal load movements easier a waste of money and -a farce-. The Highways Agency's Electronic Service Delivery for Abnormal Loads (ESDAL) is designed to provide operators with a system for informing local authorities and police forces of abnormal load movements. However, some hauliers and escort services claim their own system of giving notification by fax is sufficient.

Dave Goodall, Vehicle Routing Services company director, says: "How much money is being spent on it? We liaise with the police. If you go through this system, you aren't going to have the contact with the police or authorities. It's two and a half years behind schedule; it's a farce."

Kevin Pearson, abnormal routeing officer at Kings Haulage in Bristol, says: "It doesn't seem to be up and running properly at the moment. I don't do my routeing on it. We know the routes: we know who we have to notify. Our work is often a repeat of the previous one I'm quite happy with the way I do it at the moment. Until there's a better system, we'll stick to what we've got."

The Highways Agency says it has no plans to charge for the system and a spokesman adds: "It is fair to say that the task of developing ESDAL, including the collection of detailed information about the 100,000 bridges and road network of Great Britain, has proved to be more complex than originally anticipated.

-However, we are committed to delivery and the bridge and road data is now fully loaded. Phase three, which provides the most widely used functions, is expected to enter pilot trials in early 2009."

Tags

Organisations: Highways Agency
Locations: Bristol

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