§ 23. Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that catering establishments on major trunk roads do not obtain a monopoly and prevent lorries from using their establishments by not providing parking spaces; and whether he will assume responsibility for catering licences on trunk roads as on motorways.
§ Mr. SpeedNo, Sir. Restrictive controls would not ensure better catering services for trunk road users.
§ Mr. AshtonIs the Minister aware of the activities of Little Chef, owned by Trust Houses Forte, which has taken over almost 100 former pull-ins for transport drivers? Is he aware that the company's policy is not to allow lorries to be parked at its car parks? If the law provides that transport drivers must have a meal break every five hours, how are they to comply with it when they cannot park at these monopoly establishments?
§ Mr. SpeedI am aware that there is a lack of transport cafes and facilities for drivers, but there are adequate facilities on motorways. I cannot believe that public control of development by private enterprise on trunk roads would solve this problem.
§ Mr. Leslie HuckfieldIs not the Minister aware that there is a general lack of good transport pull-ins on certain roads? If the law on drivers' hours is to be obeyed the drivers must have good pull-ins. Is the Minister telling the 300,000 holders of heavy goods vehicle driving licences to take sandwiches with them?
§ Mr. SpeedNo, I am not telling them that. I am not aware that there is a general problem. I shall be discussing motorway facilities with the unions concerned, and if they wish to raise this matter I shall be glad to discuss it with them. I cannot believe that for my Department to take over the control of this sort of development on trunk roads is the way to solve the problem.