Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

The Freight Transport Association give their opinion.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is of the opinion that the evidence currently provided by Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) is not robust enough to support any decision to implement the proposed experimental order.

In particular, the methodology used to redistribute HGV’s on to alternative routes is obviously too simplistic in that it only considers differences in distance and takes no account of factors such as route topology, traffic congestion or fuel consumption. As a result, the proportion of HGV’s estimated to be redistributed to alternative routes in neighbouring counties is very low and we therefore consider this to be highly unrealistic.

It is FTA’s view that B&NES Council officers have failed to offer anything approaching a decent analysis of the likely consequences of the possible weight restriction. It is also our view that this restriction is far more politically motivated than one that will achieve any lasting tangible results in the city of Bath. This restriction will however impact far more communities in neighbouring counties increase costs for our members, increase emissions and worryingly start the degradation of the Primary Route Network in the UK.