Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding a review of the protocol allowing commercial vehicles 40 minutes to continuously load and unload on-street.

The Assistant Director (Highways) stated that this issue fitted well within the City’s forthcoming Transport Strategy which would provide an overarching approach to freight in the City.

The Chairman stated that he was strongly of the view that 40 minutes was far too long and that his ambition would be to attempt to half this in the City. He also requested that the report’s first recommendation be amended to require this matter to be addressed by the end of 2019.

A Member asked whether the upcoming Transport Strategy consultation could be used as a way for this matter to be considered as soon as possible given the huge impact of this on the City.

A Member agreed with the urgency that should be attached to this matter. He reminded the Committee that the 40 minute rule had been in place for ten years now yet the volume of traffic in the City had escalated hugely in this time.

Another Member stated that it would be important to see that any revision to the continuous loading and unloading time was also adequately policed and enforced going forward.

RESOLVED – That Member agree that:

·         A review of the current 40min permitted loading and unloading period be undertaken as an early outcome of the Transport Strategy adoption process and, in any event, not later than the end of 2019 and

·         Appropriate data capture, informal engagement with the freight industry and discussion with London Councils be undertaken to inform this review in the interim period.