ver mind weight, hat about height?
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E DISCUSSIONS on bposed EEC regulations and Armitage Report have centrated so heavily on hide weights that some ler aspects have not ,eived a full airing.
For instance, I feel sure there ist be many hauliers ncerned about the erational and cost penalties a possible national height iit for vehicles, especially if s were to be the four metres ginally proposed by the EEC. en the Armitage commendation of 4.2m )uld fall far short of our quirements for particular ffic.
At present Midlands British )ad Services operate a fleet specialised enclosed iutliner trailers and car body insporters on behalf of two ajor motor manufacturers. lese purpose-built outfits ovide high productivity rough two-tier stacking and eir overall height ranges )111 4.8m to 4.92m (about Ift).
Any reduction in this height ill rule out two-tier stacking id hence could immediately )uble the transport costs for ese car components — as all as doubling the number of !hicle journeys required. The itish motor industry can well ) without such extra burdens, id we have no wish to add mecessarily to the number of rge vehicles on the road. Even with their two-tier loads ese vehicles are not in the ;aviest artic class, the insignments being bulky ther than heavy, and they we an excellent safety cord. containers. Even if conceded, this would fall far short of our needs. May I emphasise the need for any height regulation to incorporate exemptions (as foreshadowed in the Armitage Report) which will allow operators to continue to run these important "productionline" vehicles over the routes which they know to be safe and suitable.
G. S. ABEL Managing director Midlands British Road Services Oxford