HL Deb 29 June 1964 vol 259 cc428-30

2.37 p.m.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware that the difficulty experienced in moving heavy indivisible loads is a serious barrier to the expansion of our export trade in electrical gear, boilers, chemical and engineering equipment; and whether they have any plans for dealing with the problem on a national scale, including greater use of the major inland waterways and the provision at main ports of heavy lift cranes of up to 300 tons capacity.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD CHESHAM)

My Lords, my right honourable friend is aware of the difficulties experienced in moving heavy indivisible loads, and has been in touch with representatives of industry, who have undertaken to let him have particulars of their needs. The investigation of certain additional road routes for very heavy loads is already in hand, and as soon as the information is received from industry he will consider what further steps should be taken to deal with the problem.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that Answer, may I ask him whether he is aware that responsible representatives of some of the largest industries in the country have said that the lack of these facilities is holding back our export drive? Is he aware, too, that there is a demand for indivisible loads of some 300 tons for export; and can he say anything about that part of my Question which refers to the use of the waterways, in view of the fact that A.E.I. propose to build barges to carry loads of 500 tons if the facilities are there?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, as I tried to indicate in. my Answer—and I had hoped I had succeeded—my right honourable friend is aware of these problems. In fact, he has been in touch with the Abnormal Loads Committee of the Conference of Heavy Engineering Industries, and it is that body which has undertaken to give him a comprehensive and detailed picture of the needs that they have. When my right honourable friend receives that, which I understand will be in the quite near future, he will consider what are the best plans to make, and I certainly would not rule out the use of any form of transport which might be useful in the circumstances.

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

My Lords, would the noble Lord suggest to his right honourable friend that he might approach industry, especially those industries which make equipment of the kind mentioned in the Question, with the suggestion that they should so fabricate this equipment that it can be carried upon the transport facilities that are at present available? The noble Lord will be aware, I have no doubt, that the more the size of the roads is increased to accommodate abnormal loads, the greater the abnormal loads will become; and the greater the roads will have to become to carry them. Would it not be a sensible thing to start at the other end and suggest to industry that they use their brains to prefabricate these loads into different sizes?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, that, I am happy to tell your Lordships, my right honourable friend has already done, and, I am even happier to say, with certainly some success. But the industrial requirements of these manufacturers are such that it is not always possible.

VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDS

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that it is becoming a custom for a number of importers to send their goods packaged in enormous parcels, weighing, in some cases, hundreds of tons, and that particularly is this the case now in the timber trade? Is the noble Lord also aware that this stuff which ought to be travelling by water and by rail is being put on to the roads? In particular, is the noble Lord aware that Brentford Dock, which still has a cargo handling of 100,000 tons a year, is being closed; that all this cargo is being put on to the roads, and that the only crane capable of handling such cargo at the dock has already been scrapped?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, without notice I cannot answer to-day the second part of the noble Viscount's question. If he cares to put down another Question, I shall be delighted to go into it. I should have thought that if timber was moving about this country in packages weighing several hundred tons there would be severe physical difficulties in moving it by rail, by waterway or even by road.