“INCOMPATIBLE WITH BRITISH ROADS”
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Longer semi-trailers have become a political points-scoring issue. In June, shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said she was “appalled” at the prospect of longer HGVs being driven on UK roads. “Communities up and down the country will be appalled at the thought of longer HGVs coming through their towns and villages,” the Labour MP says. “The DfT must come clean and publish its internal assessments of the effect longer HGVs will have on the number of deaths and serious injuries, and potential increases in carbon emissions.” The Conservatives have not escaped either. Private Eye, of all publications, said the government’s final decision would show whether big business carried more weight than its desire to be the “greenest government ever”, as it had obtained figures from the DfT showing rail freight growth would collapse if trailer lengths increased.