Curfew for MK Escalators
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• A company has had environmental restrictions imposed on its licence despite the fact that the source of noise at night could not be established.
O&K Escalators had acquired APV Escalators, of Thornwood, Epping, leading it to seek a new restricted licence for two vehicles. APV had held a licence in identical terms without any restrictive conditions, The application was opposed by Epping Forest District Council and four neighbouring residents because of noise. They asked for the licence to be refused or, failing that, for conditions limiting the hours of operation, the size of vehicles, and the route in and out of the site.
The limitations suggested by the council excluded vehicle movements between 19:00-07:00hrs, and between 13:00hrs on Saturday and 07:30hrs on Monday.
For the company, if was said that this would be impossible although it could work round a restriction of 23:00-06:00hrs on weekdays, with no significant Saturday working except For exceptional circumstances. The alternative would be to withdraw the application and return to working with smaller vehicles, which would not be any quieter and which would double the movements.
Granting a licence with conditions in line with those suggested by the company, Eastern Deputy Traffic Commissioner Frances Burton said that though there was clearly night-time noise, she was unable to find it was caused solely by the company's vehicles.
Nevertheless, noise was undesirable and she felt conditions should be attached to minimise the adverse environmental effects.