News

The growing row over the use of bus and cycle lanes in Norwich by freight consolidation centre lorries has split the committee that will decide whether to trial the controversial plans. Members of the Norwich Highways Agency Committee, made up of Norwich City and Norfolk County Councillors, are deeply divided on an experimental order that will allow Foulger  Transport vehicles the use of cycle lanes in the city.

The county council hopes that the plans will boost interest in retailers using the consolidation centre situated outside Norwich. However, city councillor and Liberal Democrat committee member, Judith Lubbock, has successfully tabled a motion to oppose the scheme, meaning that the city and county councils are now pitched against each other over the proposal.

Lubbock says: "They are offering a freight inducement to allow LGVs the use of bus and cycle lanes, but there's not a lot of congestion in the city. There's very little incentive." Lubbock adds that she fears for the safety of cyclists if the experimental order is given the green light. She adds: "It's bad enough with buses passing you at 40mph. I don't think it's of much benefit to the freight consolidation centre, I really don't. LGVs come into the city quite freely, apart from one hour a day."

The county council's Norwich  area transportation co-ordinator, David Sprunt, says he is unaware of the city council's opposition. He says: "It might be the city's view but they would have to feed that into the committee and they would take a decision," he says. "In this particular instance there would be between two and five lorry movements a day. Our view is it has minimal impact on the use of the bus lanes."

Foulger Transport's business development manager Graham Mayes has previously told Commercial Motor that there would be no more than one vehicle a day using the cycle lanes, due to poor uptake from retailers. A decision will be made on 22 May.