HC Deb 04 August 1966 vol 733 cc676-7
34. Mr. Roebuck

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to enable him to recover from the owners of lorries with abnormal indivisible loads the cost of the police providing escorts.

Mr. Taverne

I do not think it would be appropriate to attempt to recover actual police costs in these cases, but my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport is studying ways of reducing the nuisance to other road-users caused by loads of exceptional size and width.

Mr. Roebuck

Does my hon. and learned Friend think it proper that about £20,000 a year should come from public funds in the Greater London Area as a form of subsidy to the road hauliers? Will he consider this matter again with a view to using this money to provide school crossing patrols, particularly in my constituency?

Mr. Taverne

The question of charging road hauliers fees for particular journeys or special loads is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport. I think that there is some danger in having charges directly related to services as this may lead to pressure to use police resources more for particular customers than for the public as a whole.