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A14: overtaking ban is pointless without effective enforcement
Page 17
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REFER TO YOUR article titled "A14 faces further overtaking bans after successful trials" (CM 23 October) and thought you might be interested to receive a copy of my letter on this subject to Transport Minister Lord Andrew Adonis.
Dear Sir, Re the A14 Northamptonshire HGV overtaking ban.
It is interesting to note that recently there have been a number of editorials/articles in local media and transport industry publications referring to the ban on trucks overtaking on certain stretches on the A14 in Northamptonshire between Junctions 19 and 21 eastbound arid 2 and 1 westbound approaching the M1/ M6 junctions.
However, what was more surprising than interesting were the comments made that the Highways Agency feels that the 18month trial was "so successful". I am unsure where the Highways Agency obtains its data/statistics to reach this conclusion but, quite bluntly, this is utter rubbish. And as for stating that the "trial brought a cut in congestion and improvements in journey time reliability..." — garbage!
As a regular user of the A14, 1 — along with thousands of other motorists — can assure you that the majority of HGVs are ignoring this ban and congestion is as bad as, if not worse, than ever due to the fact that most HGV drivers are taking no notice of the ban.
It is not unusual to have 2-3-mile tailbacks approaching the M1 /M6 interchange on the A14, particularly in peak times. There are long delays almost daily due to accidents/incidents on this stretch of the road. There has been no improvement.
If the Highways Agency and/or the local police forces (Northamptorkshire/Warwickshire) policed this section of the road then perhaps the drivers of HGVs would take more notice of the ban. As it is, with no visible police or Highways Agency presence, they can ignore the ban with impunity, and of course they do so.
There is no point in implementing these measures if they are not consistently monitored and policed and offenders penalised; otherwise, it is no more than a lot of hot air. The public cannot be fooled so easily, particularly users of this stretch of the A14.
You will note from my profession that I have no axe to grind with HGVs and road haulage operators. My criticism and complaints are objective and commercially driven from this point of view, but from the experience of my daily commute, they are very, very personal. The time lost/ wasted is not only frustrating and stressful, but is expensive in terms of the wasted time this is causing me, and thousands of other busy people, away from business and more productive activities.
As a road haulage and logistics service provider, we cannot efficiently and economically plan and schedule deliveries where vehicles have to use the A14 — a vital East-West link — as journey times are so unreliable due to the congestion and delays on this route, particularly near to the M1/M6 junctions.
It is of no comfort to know bans are in place if nothing is being done to police the area where the restrictions are supposedly in force. Offenders must be penalised. We need more evidence of the Ministry of Transport. Highways Agency and police authorities taking these issues more seriously to achieve any degree of success with these — what appear to be at the moment — futile measures Clive Hodgkinson Managing director C Butt