§ Mr. Murphyasked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in his consideration of his response to the Armitage report, he will review the possibility of establishing a national policy of restricting heavy lorries to major roads and special routes to factories, and of seeking powers to enforce such a policy eventually.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Armitage inquiry came to the conclusion that it was doubtful whether it would be practicable at the present time to restrict heavy lorries to a national network of lorry routes. The Government believe that it is important to take heavy lorry traffic out of residential areas so far as possible, and this is one of the main aims of our trunk road building programme. Lorry routing and restricting the weight of traffic on particular roads is best done by local authorities using their powers and their knowledge of local conditions. The Government's belief is that, as the road network is steadily improved local authorities will find it easier to use their powers without merely shifting the lorry nuisance from one place to another or obstructing important industrial traffic.