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Tories won't give you bigger trucks, says MP
Page 7
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A CONSERVATIVE government would be unlikely to back an increase in truck weights and dimensions, judging by comments from Shadow Transport Secretary Damian Green.
Speaking to Commercial Motor last week, Green confirmed that despite recent rumblings from Brussels he is "very, very dubious, particularly about the thought of longer lorries".
Arguments over fewer emissions, reduced journeys or the potential benefit of more living space to drivers don't cut any ice with Green who claims any increase in artic lengths would merely be used by operators as an excuse to try to carry more goods. He alleges that talk of restricting bigger rigs to specific trunk routes is "a sighting shot of having much bigger and heavier lorries on the
road — and I would take an awful lot of convincing".
For the exclusive interview with Green in full see pages 24-25. • Last week's Brussels meeting to gauge interest in revising current EU truck weights and dimensions was attended by 13 out of 25 mem
ber states including the UK and Ireland. CM understands there was little interest in changing the current Directive 96/53 on EU maximum truck dimensions or gross weights, but more interest in plans for an extra 600mm "softnose" as crash protection.