Bucks Freight Quality Partnership launched

A Buckinghamshire-based Freight Quality Partnership (FQP) has been set up in order to understand the problems faced by hauliers and avoid introducing HGV bans and Lorry Watch schemes.

The Beacon FQP, which covers the Aylesbury area, now has its own website and chair and county councillor Avril Davies says it is keen for haulage companies to get involved.

FQPs have been responsible for developing freight maps, implementing signage and making the lives of hauliers in a region easier.

They provide a link between businesses and the wider community and Davies says communication is key to resolving problems: "We specifically don’t want to do Lorry Watch and HGV bans," she says.

"We thought that was really negative and you alienate as many people as you get on side.

"What we wanted to do was to try and understand the issues. We also wanted to push the county council into being more proactive about its freight strategy, signage and maintenance of its roads.

"We do realise it’s quite difficult running a haulage business, but they don’t want to make it any more difficult on themselves either."

The Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association are both Beacon FQP members.

"It’s a good place to network and progress issues further," says RHA senior area manager Pete Butler. "They bring everyone together. They do discuss things like lorry bans, but then the industry can put its point across and a compromise is worked out without a traffic order ever going out."

* More information on the Beacon FQP can be found here: www.beaconfqp.org.uk