A HAULAGE group has hit out at civic leaders for “refusing” to attend a meeting to explain their plans for the city’s proposed clean air zone.

But Southampton City Council has defended the decision, saying that it now needs to focus on building a plan for the zone, rather than meeting with groups – such as the Road Haulage Association (RHA), to discuss not-yet-decided proposals.

Its Green City member, Councillor Steven Leggett, added that the authority’s focus is now on the “evaluation of the feedback” from locals following the 12-week consultation.

He added the authority would speak to members after the report had been published – which is due out in November. Nevertheless, the RHA say it is disappointed that the council went back on its commitment to speak at a meeting on Monday night (Sepembert 24).

It claims the local authority agreed to meet with operators at a regional council meeting, but later declined just days before.

It adds that officials had previously failed to meet hauliers at an RHA meeting in June to discuss the proposals, which includes charging lorries up to £100 a day to enter a clean air zone.

But, disputing the claim, Cllr Leggett said: “During the consultation we held multiple public events to outline our plans and attended many others to engage with stakeholders.

“At least six of these meetings were aimed specifically at hauliers and many attended public meetings too. The RHA were represented at three of these meetings at least, and were personally invited to directly meet with officers at the Civic Centre during the consultation exercise.”

Nevertheless, RHA regional operations manager Rhys Williams believes this latest “snub” reinforces fears that the authority isn’t taking hauliers’ concerns seriously.

He said: “It’s frustrating that the council can show so much disrespect and contempt towards hauliers who are worried about the impact a CAZ would have on their future.

“How can we have confidence in what the council says when they won’t even keep a simple promise to come to a meeting to hear our members concerns?”

And in response to the council’s consultation, the RHA believes the plans would “put small operators at risk”.

Mr Williams said: “The council has dismissed our members once again which begs the question whether they have any interest in the future of the local hauliers who deliver goods and services that Southampton relies on.”

However, Cllr Leggett added: “After an unprecedented response to the consultation, our attention is now focused on the evaluation of the feedback we have received.

“That includes assessing information received by the road haulage sector and we are confident that the opportunity they have been given has provided the process with sufficient and valued information to help guide the best outcome.”