Hauliers may not go for the biggest
Page 36
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IF BIGGER vehicles are allowed on British roads, it should not be assumed that all UK hauliers would wish to convert their fleets to new maximum weights, Mr. E. M. Haines, general manager of P and 0 Road Services Ltd, told the Institute of Traffic Administration at its annual conference, last week.
The priority should be to end uncertainty on this and tachographs. Replacing the present 32-ton truck would interest the international hauliers or deepsea container carrier and any gross or axle weight increase to existing four-axle vehicles would be attractive. But before investing in 38 to 40 ton gross vehicles, operators would need to calculate carefully the cost of any strings attached; more axles, more power, more unladen weight, more road tax, more initial outlay, more fuel, tyre and driver costs and so on. The few extra tons carried were going to be very expensive.
A less tangible but urgent continued on page 37