Hauliers hit out over A41 closure
Monday 23rd November 2009, 1:57PM GMT.
Recession-hit haulage firms today claimed they have been hit by a double whammy because of the closure of a main road in Shropshire.
Firms based close to the A41, which is closed for three weeks for resurfacing work near Newport, say they are being clobbered financially because their fleets are using extra fuel and covering more mileage to get past the road closure.
It comes as fuel costs continue to rise nationwide with pump prices hovering at about the £5 per gallon mark.
Kevin Plews, managing director of Plews Brothers Limited at Rosehill, near Market Drayton, estimated the extra daily fuel cost for his fleet of seven HGVs was between £50 and £100.
He said: “It’s frustrating and we are having to go for miles in the wrong direction just to get back to Tern Hill.
“It’s causing a problem for us and we are using extra fuel which costs the business money.”
Mr Plews, who is also vice chairman of the Shropshire branch of the Road Hauliers’ Association, added: “We are having to do 10 to 15 miles extra on most journeys which is a big inconvenience in these times of rising fuel costs.”
Edwards Transport, based at Hinstock, has also branded the closure by Telford & Wrekin Council as “inconvenient”.
A spokeswoman for the firm, which has about 40 HGVs in its fleet, said: “It’s causing disruption and is an inconvenience for the business.
“It’s the fact that the road is closed for so long which is making it tough.
“But on the other hand, we understand the road needs repairing as we don’t want our fleet getting tyre problems because of a poor road surface.”
Councillor Stephen Bentley from Telford and Wrekin Council said: “Under government traffic management guidelines, we have to use equivalent roads to those which are closed – in this case A roads. Because of the nature of the local road network, the most appropriate alternatives in this instance is not immediately adjacent to the A41.”
The planned work on the A41 was originally scrapped after protests from drivers facing the prospect of 30-mile diversions.
Residents also hit out after some were told they would face restrictions.
The road is closed for two more weeks.
By Tom Johannsen
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Surely Mr. Plews is passing on the costs to his customers either in travelling time or mileage? If not, he should be talking to his customers rather than the Shropshire Star!
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its a bit rich them complaining as it is their heavy goods cehicles vehicles that wear the roads out…
if you cant afford to run your firm at a profit then you shouldnt be in business…
Simples…
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Surely we should be persuading foreign/irish/long distance lorries to use other routes than the A41 which was not built for that purpose since it was detrunked by the Government some years ago. The A41 is no longer a trunk road which means the government get away scotfree regarding its maintenance.
It should be used by local firms. It is a pity we dont have a toll system for foreign lorries like they do on the continent, that would pay to replace the road surface that they wear out. By far the best route for HGVs from Holyhead is to use the A483(Wrexham bypass) from the A55 down to Ruabon onto the A5 then M54. Would someone with satnav knowledge please put it on the system.
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Andy @2
Since Mr. Plews pays 30%+ of whatever profit his company makes in corporation tax and business rates far higher then anything domestic for which he doesn’t even get his bins emptied maybe he feels he’s already paid his bit toward maintenance of the roads.
Peasbody@1
Do you really think his customers can afford to pay higher costs?
Neither of you seem to have much sense of what it takes to run a business especially in a recession – yes the road needs attending but why now in a recession and at the point of record fuel prices? Talk about rubbish timing
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I understood that the road needed to be resurfaced/realigned after a series of fatal crashes, so Suellan should we put off any work until another economic boom arrives and just put up that your family or ours may be the next victim in the meantime? The choice is simple, which way are you going to vote?
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Suellan – business is business. Why bleat in the Star when he should be out negotiating?
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Norman@5
Was it proved that the road surface alone was solely to blame in these accidents? If so fair enough but I suspect it will be hard to prove. And if it was series of fatalities why not resurface after the first one?
Peasbody@6
Point taken but then he does have a right to voice his difficulty
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There are rumours circulating that the A41 will be re-opened tomorrow. Can anyone confirm this?
If true, it will be the most remarkable piece of engineering work our roads have ever seen.
When the plans were first muted the closure was for 9 weeks which was changed after much uproar from local residents and hauliers alike to 3 weeks and ro 9 days!
I for one don’t believe the contractors, Tarmac have had time to remove over 12 inches of surface and relay it in 9 days or so. Is anyone from Telford and Wrekin checking or are Tarmac ‘pulling the wool’?
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Norman, were these fatal crashes due to the road or peoples negligence and heart attacks, I thought it was the latter two.
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came through a41 sunday morning signs gone and open 29 november why dont you try like i did
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