Yes, Big Phil, but McColl's old AEC was not a 40-ton monster.

Ken Livingston's GLC kept the biggest trucks out of Central London, but the transport lobby soon did for that idea once Thatcher had done with the GLC.

Anything over 7 tons should be restricted to designated trunk routes. Distribution depots, where goods are transhipped to smaller vehicles for in-town deliveries, should be set up. Why does every delivery have to be made in a company-owned vehicle? Such depots could permit the use of electically powered vans operated by smaller or at least other companies.

Greater use of rail freight would be to everyone's advantage, if only the infrastructure were in place.

Basically, British Government transport policy is an oxymoron, and we all pay the price! Public transport is in a hell of a mess - Railtrack, the Underground, bus privatisation - what a shambles! Bugger the bloody Tories, and bugger bloody New Labour (aka Tory policies with a cheesy grin and a hypocritical veneer) none of them has half a brain on transport matters. Get the politicians out of their limos and ban their free parking concessions and make them suffer with the rest of us.

Congestion charging in London will not help, banning the Tonka toy school run would - my car journey to Central London from Harlow (24 miles) takes 50% longer in term time.

Alternatively, we could all drive Smart cars or motorbikes, since most cars on such journeys as mine only contain one person. Our Civic's only little, but it's bigger than it need be for that job, but Smarts are all still LHD. and comparatively expensive to buy and bikes can be bloody dangerous (to themselves and others) in current traffic.

Perhaps when traffic congestion has reduced the UK to complete gridlock, Mr Fucking "World Leader" Blair, might get his arse in gear and get his minions to do something constructive about the problem. I'm not holding my breath, personally.

Rant over.

Alan