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Government set to give OK to longer semi study
Page 6
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CM COVER STORY
AFTER WEEKS OF dithering. the government is expected to announce a study into running longer semi-trailers on UK roads. Last year it rejected calls for longer and heavier vehicles (LHVs) .
Last October, the Department for Transport (MT) told CM that it is considering longer semi-trailers as part of its freight strategy ('Longer trailers hack on DtT's agenda', CM 23 October 2008).
Since then it has remained tightlipped on the issue, but now a spokeswoman has revealed that the report should be completed by the autumn, "subject to the successful contracting of the Longer Semi-Trailer Study. The study will be looking into the potential benefits and impact of extending the length of articulated FIG Vs, but not the weight."
An LHV trial was rejected by the government mainly because of the threat it would pose to railfreight.
The Road Haulage Association's policy director, Jack Semple, says the industry is keen to contribute to the study: "Nine months ago Ruth Kelly killed off the debate over LHVs. We have made it clear on several occasions that we think it was regrettable."
Despite members giving mixed reactions to the idea, Semple says the industry needs clarity and information in order to make an informed decision. "We don't know any of the details," he adds."There's a fair bit of confusion we don't know exactly what's proposed. Its my belief that the views of the industry will modify and be influenced particularly when they see the detail. We don't want the in
dustry to feel it has had no opportunity to think about the issue."
Freight on Rail campaigner Phillipa Edmunds says she is disappointed the government is looking at semi-trailer lengths because "the government's own figures on a logistics perspective showed that carbon dioxide emissions from rail are around four times less per tonne carried than road':