Feb 8, 2011
Councils to work with satnav companies to reroute lorries
Reading Lib Dems welcomed the news from Transport Minister Norman Baker who announced a consultation on giving local authorities greater control over how their roads appear on maps and satnav systems. They could be empowered to change the classification of roads in their area as opposed to Whitehall determining these matters.
Lib Dem Transport Spokesperson Cllr Ricky Duveen hailed the announcement as a great step forward and he was particularly pleased with the minister’s comment that “We are also using this as an opportunity to invite new ideas of tackling some of the problems caused by satnavs, for example lorries being directed down unsuitable roads. We want to hear suggestions as to how the current system could be improved – and how councils could better work with satnav companies.”
Ricky said ‘this may well prove to be a godsend to Reading if it means that heavy lorries are no longer routed through the centre of Reading and up the A4074.’
Ricky added that ‘I know from my own experience in Tilehurst that satnavs direct lorries down the shortest routes and often this involves travelling through residential areas outside of designated lorry routes. Getting the satnav companies to work with councils sounds like a really good idea and should have been done a long time ago.’
