RHA !mks rigid weight rises
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• The Road Haulage Association has responded strongly in favour of increased weight limits for rigid lorries and on drive axles for certain artic units following the recent request from the Department of Transport (CM, May 24) for a detailed case in favour of any rise.
Following consultations with its district managers and technical committee members, the RHA has written to the DTp to ask for the maximum weight of two axle rigids to be raised from 16.3.tonnes to 17 tonnes gross vehicle weight.
It also wants the drive axle weight limit on tractive units operating at 32.5 tonnes gross combination weight to be raised from 10 tonnes to 10.5 tonnes inline with 38-tonners.
It has not, however, reached a decision as to whether it should press for the weight limit for eightaxle rigids to be raised from 30.5 to 32 tonnes.
RI IA technical manager Tim Inman claims the main . basis for the argument in favour of the increased weights is to restore payloads reduced by legislation.
He says the RHA rnerfkhers "need to replace payload lost as a result of statutory add-on such as deguards and spray suppression equipment".