Big rates threat
Page 13
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HE GREATER LONDON Council and Wandsworth Borough would Ise between £40,000 and £50,000 a year in lost rates revenue from avies Turner and Co Ltd in the event of any kind of a lorry ban, :cording to Philip Stephenson, joint managing director of the mnpany.
Weight restrictions in the Lonan area would compel the cornany, with its Head Office at BatTsea, to relocate outside the 125 area, he said, with a subseJent loss of jobs.
Davies Turner is concerned ith freight forwarding, lachinery and fine art packing, ternational household remoals, air-freight and business traal. It employs 300 people at its aad office, and its main activity the r:onsolidation of small ads into The large units of TIR ailers and containers.
The company also accepts im)rts from all over the world, Mr :ephenson pointed out. These iits are stripped and distriJted on smaller vehicles.
"There are no alternative eans of transport," he said. 3i1 connections could be built its Battersea Wharf, but few
manufacturers have this facility.
Smaller vehicles would just not be feasible. "The present weight limits already put the British exporter at a disadvantage to his overseas competitiors.", he said.
The company handles about 3,000 tons per month of British exports and imports through its Battersea Wharf, "and the fact that we are centrally located must be a major benefit to the consumer."
Any night-time or weekend ban would add further to its difficulties. "By bunching the times at which heavy goods vehicles can be used," he pointed out, "the problem of traffic jams at the permitted times might increase."
The way to solve London's "clogged" transport problem is not to turn our back on the lorry, Mr Stephenson said, but to integrate it more effectively into the life of the capital, he concluded.