“Super Lorry” Proposals Rejected

Proposals for the introduction of significantly longer and heavier goods vehicles onto British roads were rejected yesterday by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly.This follows the publication of an independent report, which highlighted a number of issues making their use in the UK impractical, both on a permanent or trial basis.

The report, which was commissioned by the DfT from the Transport Research Laboratory, found that super-lorries (a vehicle of 25.25m or more in length) could lead to an increase in CO2 emissions due to goods shifting from rail to road, create serious implications for the management of the road network - as the vehicles would be unsuitable for many roads and junctions - as well as introducing new safety risks.

Ruth Kelly said: “This study shows that super-lorries are not compatible with British roads.

“Not only are there clear environmental drawbacks, but such vehicles would be unsuitable for many roads and junctions, while providing the infrastructure to accommodate them would require substantial investment.”

It is also unclear how efficiently such vehicles could be used, especially when sourcing loads of sufficient size to make return journeys sustainable; and about their impacts on the viability of existing rail freight services and the potential for future growth.

The report does show, however, that there could be potentially worthwhile benefits from permitting a modest increase in the length of current articulated vehicles.

The DfT will consider this further in line with its ongoing strategic work on freight.