Lorries — it's not all black
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NEW PLYMOUTH police estimated that a 20,000 crowd watched the largest load ever moved by road in New Zealand — a 572-tonne methanol vapourisation unit en route to the Synfuel Gas-to-Gasoline plant. "It's bigger than the Royal Tour" said police.
The train weight, reported Transport News, approached 1,000 tonnes, and the load was so high — 26 metres — that it blocked out the six-storey Tasman hotel as it passed by. The main prime movers were four Michigans powered by four 480hp Detroit Diesels.
Meanwhile in New Zealand, says this journal, deep anti-truck concern has been stirred up by the otherwise respectable Automobile Association and an advert placed in the New Zealand Herald by rail unions "was jingoistically anti-truck".
The public, says Transport News, fears a great increase hi the number of trucks on the road and it has a distorted view based on lack of knowledge of hgv. That is why that journal is one of the organisers of TEST (Truck Efficiency and Safety Trial), which is sponsored by BP.
During a three-day run this Easter, lorries and drivers will be graded on their efficiency (tonne kilometres per litre), safe driving and road courtesy.
We wish this venture well. Meanwhile we are organising CM's second 1,000-mile economy run aimed to show the British public the true face of road transport.