Hauliers To Trail 'Unsafe' Trailers

Some hauliers will be allowed to use longer trailers under plans published on Tuesday by Roads Minister Mike Penning.

He said that following a consultation on proposals to allow a two metre increase in the length of articulated lorries, the Department for Transport is allowing a ten-year trial of up to 900 trailers at an increased length of 2.05 metres, and 900 at an increase of one metre. The longer lorries will operate within the existing weight limit of 44 tonnes.

In a developmemnt exclusively reported here on www.4ni.co.uk, the move has been opposed by freight umbrella group Freight on Rail - a partnership of the rail freight operators and the transport trade unions.

The group said the longer trucks could have lower safety standards than existing HGVs and would put lorry industry interests ahead of road safety and carbon reduction.

A spokesman for the group said: "The DfT report down-plays safety implications which include more susceptibility to crosswinds & greater tail swings.

"The research states that new active steering technology due out in 18th months time would make vehicles safer but states that it does not favour mandating this technology."

Also opposed to the findings of the Government's report, Labour Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle said that communities up and down the country will be appalled that Ministers have paved the way for longer HGVs coming through their towns and villages.

"This is the wrong decision and shows just how out of touch this Tory-led Government is with local communitie," Ms Eagle said.

"Ministers should think again and bring forward a coherent strategy for shifting more freight onto our railways, reducing carbon emissions and improving road safety."

Meanwhile, the Government is claiming that the trial is expected to provide a "£33m boost to the haulage industry" as the longer vehicles provide up to 13% more loading space.

Roads Minister Mike Penning said: "The road haulage industry is vital to the growth of our economy. By allowing companies to use one truck where they may have previously needed to send two, we can help the sector improve efficiency and save money – which should in turn benefit consumers."

But according to the findings of Freight on Rail, the introduction of 'megatrucks' would only favour larger corporations who can afford the new vehicles, and could be damaging to medium and smaller operators who will find it difficult to compete with the big operators.

(DW/BMcC)