HC Deb 08 December 1978 vol 959 cc813-4W
Mr. Lee

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a new estimate of the total economic costs, inclusive of cost of change to the environment occasioned by noise, pollution and additional traffic congestion, as well as of accident hazards, for a measured distance of the so-called juggernaut lorry, for the in the Official Report the number of times that flagpoles were erected in Parliament Square during 1977 and 1978, the dates on which they were erected, the dates on which they were dismantled, the occasions for which they were erected, the cost of erection and dismantling on each occasion why they should not be permanently in place; and why it is thought worth-while erecting them at all if it is considered that they should not be there permanently.

Mr. Marks:

Flagpoles were erected in Parliament Square on the following occasions in 1977 and 1978:

purposes of comparison with the largest lorries currently permitted to operate on United Kingdom roads; and if he will publish this before implementing any Common Market Directive relating to the use of the juggernaut lorry.

Mr. William Rodgers:

I have no proposals for increasing the size or weight of so-called juggernaut lorries, but I shall continue to make available to the house such information as I possess of the kind my hon. Friend has in mind.