London lorry ban should be scrapped, says RHA

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has called for the London Lorry Control Scheme (LLCS) to be scrapped as part of its London mayoral election manifesto.

Introduced on the early 1980s to control the movement of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) over 18 tonnes, has been questioned by the association as unnecessarily reducing efficiency and increasing pollution through adde milage.

Claiming that the scheme has ‘outlived its usefulness’, the RHA has also criticised the petition for a ban on HGVs in London during rush hour - a campaign put forward by Liberal Democrat London candidate Caroline Pidgeon.

Richard Burnett, RHA chief executive, said: “Haulage operators provide work for tens of thousands of Londoners. That's why it's vital that the mayor and other London politicians work with us and not against us. A London lorry rush hour ban would be a knee-jerk and counter-productive move - as would trying to replace larger vehicles with many more smaller ones.

“London will only continue to prosper and improve if we all work together and accept that all road users have a role to play."