§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what alternative facilities are available to serve drivers wishing to weigh their loads before leaving British ports, in the event of his Department's axle weighbridge facilities being closed; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what hours his Department's axle weighbridges are open for use each day; and whether such facilities are open seven days a week.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIn addition to public weighbridges and private weighbridges which haulage companies have installed for their own use, my Department is equipping its own axle weighbridges at ports with a driver self-weigh facility which is available at all times when the site is not being used for enforcement.
My Department's weighbridge check sites are used at varying times for enforcement checks by each of the three enforcement agencies concerned with overloading.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether his Department plans to install weighbridge facilities in those ports which do not currently possess them;
(2) if he will list in the Official Report those major ports which have his Department's axle weighbridge facilities and those which do not.
§ Mrs. ChalkerDynamic axle weighbridges have been provided at the following ports:
- Felixstowe
- Plymouth
276 - Poole
- Portsmouth
- Dover East
- Dover West
- Sheerness
- Newhaven
My Department has proposals for providing further axle weighbridges at the following ports in consultation with the port authorities:
- Hull
- Immingham
- Fishguard
- Pembroke Dock
- Ramsgate
- Southampton
- Heysham