AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

'Could any other sector provide cover 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?'

28th August 1997, Page 39
28th August 1997
Page 39
Page 39, 28th August 1997 — 'Could any other sector provide cover 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?'
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

t this year's AVRO exhibition, a

police constable told of a fatal

ccident in Bedfordshire involving a Transit-based recovery vehicle which was found to be overloaded at the rear axle while the front axle was running well below its normal kerbside weight, causing steering and braking deficiencies. A larger truck would not have had this problem. It was inevitable that the police should take drastic action, especially as the Transit would not meet its basic contract requirements.

This is a two-part [problem for recovery operators and manufacturers, Preventing axle overload is relatively easy, but keeping the front axle at the minimum weight envisaged by the manufacturer can be a nightmare. Put a heavy load way behind your own rear axle and schoolboy science tells you the front of your truck will go skywards.

It is easy to put this right for car recovery, but what of the heavies? The same regulations apply. Specifying heavier chassis cures some problems, but that can contribute to road surface overloading, for which there is currently no recovery vehicle exemption.

Longer wheelbases and front axle ballasting, three rear axles, computerised suspension and moving weights have all been tried, but we cannot overcome the road surface overload problem. The tragedy describe(' by the policeman was, I believe, an isolated incident and one from which we must all learn. However, I am concerned that if the police use their enforcement powers to the full, they may unintentionally cause unprecedented motorway disruption. Imagine every vehicle with an axle weight of, say, 8 tonnes needing to be lifttowed, and having to be unloaded before being recovered. Just count them on your next journey.

I have listened to the "experts" many times saying there are ways to prevent our rear axles overloading the road surfaces, and I agree with a yawn. There are alternatives—cranes, lowloaders, traction, gangs of labour, pumps, JCBs; in fact, something to handle every load out there. But is this a serious cure? Could any other sector provide national cover 24 hours a day, 365 days a year within half a day, let alone half an hour? I doubt it. And could anyone afford it?

Every day, I hear radio reports that the "emergency services have now cleared the road". Oh no they haven't—it is usually an unsung recovery operator at the sharp end, the real fourth emergency service. It is his skill and dedication that will get your wheels rolling again, providing the police allow it, of course. As I said earlier, we can carry out light recoveries easily within the legislation, and we already recover maximum HGVs safely. Considering the abnormalities of what we do, I consider our industry has a very creditable safety record.

Tags


comments powered by Disqus