SLOW BUT STEADY • "Good Morning miss, is your moth
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SLOW BUT STEADY • "Good Morning miss, is your mother home?" Whatever happened to door-to-door salesman? Like baggy football shorts, chimney sweeps and Jamboree Bags they've disappeare-i into the pages of history. One thing you could say for the travelling brush seller—once he got his foot in the door you'd never get rid of him.
This week the road transport industry got its toe firmly stuck in the door to higher weight limits with the publication of a DOT consultation document proposing 44-tonne lorries for road-rail operations.
Of course there's still a long way to go. And while the FTA might complain about "missed opportunities" (well they would, wouldn't they, as most of their members favour higher weights) it's at least a step in the right direction.
The RHA's reaction, while welcoming, is a touch more jaundiced: "British hauliers will be still be looking closely at the relative costs and overall productivity of wholly road based transport vs combined road-rail transport when deciding which mode suits them best."
Perhaps the best news in the document is the long overdue decision to scrap the silly anomalylaetween artics and drawbars and let the latter run at 38 tortnes—although there are still some important questions to be answered, such as VED levels and the need for air suspension.
The DOT is playing a very safe game. We've still got the derogation from 40 tonnes till 1999. And if there is an almighty backlash as a result of the 44-tonne proposal Marsham Street can always say it was merely a discussion point. The DOT also knows it can slip 44tonne artics and 38-tonne drawbars in via changes to C&U (as it did with heavier rigids) without setting off environmental klaxons. Given the passions that are aroused by heavier trucks, softly softly definitely catchee heavier monkey.