Trucking companies gave diverging views on the best place for Bermuda?s docks but all agreed authorities had dithered too long on revamping or replacing them.

Importers say the current Front Street dock is cramped and inefficient while former Premier Sir John Swan has called for their removal to create space for tourism development.

Bermuda Forwarders owner Tony Kempe said the only feasible site to relocate was Morgan?s Point in Sandys but it would end up with a huge traffic flow into the City as the vast bulk of goods end up there.

?With tourists moving about on bikes it?s not a good idea.?

Truckers moving loads at night could disturb neighbours and would be tempted to speed, said Mr. Kempe.

He agreed with the Corporation of Hamilton and Stevedoring Services that the sheds where container loads are broken up must relocate to provide more space.

Moving this to the current Transport Control Department site would make sense, said Mr. Kempe, who added its administration function could be done anywhere while testing could be done by private garages.

Goods could be moved from the pier to the stripping shed in the early mornings, suggested Mr. Kempe, although this would disrupt back of town homes.

But he questioned why it was only now that the removal of the stripping sheds was being addressed when it had been suggested in a report 15 years ago. Last week the Corporation gave a deadline of December 31.

Mr. Kempe said building a dock at the Ducking Stool on North Shore as suggested by former Premier John Swan would be impractical because of the winds.

Asked about docks relocation, Rodrigues Trucking and Excavating Ltd. boss Paul Rodrigues said: ?I don?t have a problem of where they put it, as long as there is plenty of space to make it faster. Right now it is disgusting.

?We have waited too long to do something about it.?

He said he spent two hours at the dock yesterday trying to get a container and said Stevedoring Services didn?t have the equipment to service the trucks.

Congestion was blamed, but he said there were a combination of problems at the dock.

?They need to do something. I think North Shore would be the best bet, across from Government House. That is the most logical solution but the cost of it would be astronomical compared to anywhere else.?

Morgan?s Point had the advantage of being ripe for development while new housing set for Southside ruled that out as an option, said Mr. Rodrigues.

Island Trucking office manager Paul Smith agreed a lot of time had been wasted in addressing dock development.

He said now the prime spot was North Shore, despite the cost, because it was centrally located near the trucking companies.

Later opening times on the docks would allow more to be done in a day, said Mr. Smith.