GLC &BR must get together
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THE heavy lorry is the single most-intrusive-element, and the most persistent and pervasive source of disturbance in the lives of the majority of Londoners, say the Lorry Route Joint Action Committee and the East Finchley Village Society.
Terry Rand, chairman of the committee, and Dameon Murphy, chairman of the EFVS planning and environment subcommittee, felt that area bans and total bans were the only solution to London's congestion problem, "What the Greater London Council should do immediately is to impose throughout the GLC area a night-time and weekend ban on all hgv over five tons gross vehicle weight," Mr Rand explained. This ban should operate from 6pm to 6am Monday to Friday and over the weekend from 6pm Friday to 6am Monday. "Six am allows a generously early start and 6pm a decently late finish," Mr Rand suggested.
After this step has been taken, a 24-hour ban on all lorries above 16 tons gvw within the M25 area, and an extension of the five tons limit to a 24-hour operation on the North and South Circular Roads can be brought about, he added. The servicing of industries and general needs within the M25 area could be arranged by issuing permits to operators, letting them carry loads during the 12hour ban period.
The only problem for these operators is the £6,000 price tag on the permit. "Operators who rarely travel through the ban area would be unlikely to apply for permits," Mr Rand thought.