HL Deb 29 April 1970 vol 309 cc1037-8
THE EARL OF KINNOULL

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is the Ministry of Transport's policy to grant automatically permission for foreign haulage vehicles, of a size and weight greater than at present permitted by Ministry of Transport regulations, to enter Britain.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, R.A.F. (LORD WINTER-BOTTOM)

No, my Lords. Foreign haulage vehicles entering Britain must comply with the current regulations relating to size and weight limits.

THE EARL OF KINNOULL

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. Can he say how soon the Ministry of Transport expect to announce their decision whether or not they intend to raise the present weight and length limits on road haulage vehicles?

LORD WINTERBOTTOM

No, my Lords; but I will make inquiries and write to the noble Earl.

LORD MERRIVALE

My Lords, if the Six (and later, we hope, the Ten) must gradually replace their national policies by a common transport policy along precise guidelines to ensure the unrestricted supply of transport services throughout the Community, would the noble Lord agree that the time may come when we should consider aligning our regulations regarding size and weight of haulage vehicles with Continental practice?

LORD WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, when we are firmly established in the Common Market I suspect that that will happen.

LORD CONESFORD

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that many of us are very much against having our villages and historic towns destroyed by these vehicles?

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, is there not a strong case for extending the system of by-passing villages, so that vehicles are not tailored to our existing road system, but the road system tailored to allow foreign vehicles to by-pass towns of historic interest and villages where trans-port is hindered by narrow roads?

LORD WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, I have great sympathy with the point of view expressed by my noble friend.

VISCOUNT ADDISON

My Lords, would it not be much better to replace some of the railway tracks that have been pulled up, instead of spending so much money on these new roads?