There's a long long trail a-winding ...
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■ REATER London Council's thoughts of a ban on drawbar thicles over 15m were defended last week when GLC assistant hief planner (transport) Martin Foulkes addressed a conerence of distribution managers.
He told the joint Centre or Physical Distribution Aanagement GLC conference hat it accepted that drawbar 'ehicles are no problem at 'resent, but said there is real oncern that they could beome so in the future.
Mr Foulkes agreed with toad Haulage Association vice chairman Ken Rogers that drawbar vehicles are highly manoeuvrable combinations, but pointed out that their use is limited by the 32 ton gross vehicle weight limit.
GLC fears a proliferation of 18m drawbars once weights are increased, but he added: "We are just starting consultations with industry, and have still to decide whether the idea is worth pursuing."
The possibility of a ban on through lorry traffic — mentioned in GLC's evidence to the Armitage Inquiry — will be looked at again when the M25 orbital route is completed.
While these more negative measures drew delegates' hostility, Mr Foulkes devoted much of his address to the positive measures which GLC is taking to help freight movrment in the capital.
Freight complexes, such as that planned on redundant British Rail land at Neasden in North London, have met with wide commercial support, but that particular scheme has been delayed by planning problems associated with a hypermarket on the site.
Mr Foulkes described Neasden as "a sad case", but pointed out the greater success which has been met in setting up common user terminals for small hauliers.
One at Purley Way in Croydon has been very successful, and planning permissison has been granted for another at Greenwich. It, too, will be operated by a private concern, as GLC prefers to initiate schemes rather than actually become involved in their detailed operation.
Mr Foulkes commented that the stances of GLC and the transport industry have moved much closer in recent years. He found it comforting that both sides realised that the problems are similar.