Big.plan to switch London's freight
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MAJOR CHANGES are on the way in London's freight handling facilities if the GLC accepts recommendations from its transport and planning committees.
The plans, sent to the council this week, cover a period extending from now until 1985 and anticipate that with proper development of rail and waterway systems will lead to them carrying more than 50 per cent of London's goods.
In the short term and for implementation before 1980, the GLC is to press for: • The introduction of batteryelectric vehicles ; II The extension of lorry bans for particular problem areas ; • Introduction of the 7pm to 7am night ban on vehicles over 40ft (CM last week); • Completion of its network of overnight lorry parks.
The GLC will also provide additional rail depots for aggregates, scrap steel, refuse and other bulk loads. It is intended to develop small containers, direct distribution services with rail trunking similar to the Freightliner service, and provide wharves for aggregates, refuse and spoil.
The plans include the development of a major freight complex and communal depots for small hauliers together with facilities for drivers' over night accommodation and servicing on AI2.
The council will experiment with a double-bottom break bulk system and will encourage the use of load consolidation facilities. Freight facilities will be located to integrate them with the existing and future road network and industrial planning.
In the medium term which will take the council up to 1985 it will be pressing for the introduction of quieter vehicles with lower smoke emission levels and it is intended during this period to develop the double-bottom break-bulk fa cilities on a comprehensive scale provided the experiment encourages them to do so.
There will be an introduction of a new road network to service industrial and freight corridors and this will include the completion of the outer orbital roads and the improvements to the North Circular Road.
During this period the council intends to introduce a ban on all vehicles over 16 tons inside the outer orbital road except those requiring access. And it is possible that it will at the same time introduce a permit system for vehicles over 36ft which require access to either central London or a town centre. In the medium term the intention is to continue to improve the distribution facilities within the port.
In the longer term the network of strategic roads and freight complexes will be completed and the permit-f oraccess scheme will be extended to a major part of London.
The council is now to seek the views of the London Freight Conference, the London Boroughs Association and other interested parties on its proposal.