CAMPAIGN AGAINST BAN
Page 18
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David Holmes is absolutely right when he describes the London lorry ban as a farce, but wrong to accuse the trade associations of inactivity. The Freight Transport Association challenged it all the way to the House of Lords and has also investigated a challenge under European law.
The ETA persuaded the previous government to take the power to change it in its Deregulation Act, but it didn't go any further because it thought it would lose votes as a result.
Holmes is also wrong to attack the new draft transport strategy for London. This calls for fundamental reviews of the ban by next year—something those responsible for the ban have singularly failed to undertake.
He's right to urge those who collect and deliver in London to make a fuss. But the target is not MPs: they don't have much say on London issues now. The people who have to be persuaded are local councillors, members of the Greater London Assembly, officials at the Greater London Authority and those at Transport for London.
Most important, write to Mayor Ken. He is spending considerable sums of money seeking comments on his strategy. Take up his invitation: tell him about the bureaucratic farce the ban has become; tell him how important it is to implement the proposed fundamental review of the operation and effectiveness of the ban. Ask him if, when he introduced the ban in GLC days, he intended vehicles to be diverted for an extra 30 miles or more down residential roads.
Ken's address is Mayor of London (Transport Strategy Consultation), Greater London Authority, Romney House, Marsham Street, London SW1P 3PY.
When writing, why not thank him for reducing the proposed truck congestion charge from 115 to £5, but point out that this is still a tax on business and that trucks should be zero rated. Job, Guttildge, Regional director, F7A, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
• See feature, page 42.