Wider reefers in '88
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• EEC reefer operators will be allowed to run trucks up to 2.6m wide from 1 January 1988, if a new European Commission amendment to the current directive on vehicle weights and dimensions is accepted.
EC directive 85/3/EEC makes no specific reference to reefer widths, but sets a maximum width of 2.5m for all HGVs. The proposed amendment would increase the maximum reefer width to 2.6m; other vehicle widths would not be changed.
If the amendment is pushed through, it will require a change to the UK Construction and Use Regulations, which currently allow reefers up to 2.58m wide, provided they have a side-wall thickness of not less than 45mm.
The move to go to wider reefers follows growing concern among certain EEC countries — particularly Italy — which are not convinced that thin-wall reefers are capable of maintaining temperatures for ATP Class C operation when carrying frozen goods (CM 23 May).
In support of the amendment the commission says: "The use of thin-wall vehicles for carriage of temperaturecontrolled conditions in order to achieve both the maximum permitted width of 2,500mm, and the necessary internal width, should be discouraged for reasons of economy, publich health, environment and road safety." The proposed revisions will now go before the European Parliament and other interested groups before they can be agreed by European transport ministers. FTA director of road transport and parliamentary affairs, David Green, says: "Any agreement before 1 January is extremely unlikely."
• Swedish drivers regained the truck racing initiative at the Paul Ricard circuit in France last week when Curt Goransson won the Superfinal and Slim Borgudd led both heats in the top power class.
Goransson's success in the Superfinal is remarkable because he only qualified for it by winning the 'last chance' race, after being plagued by loss of turbo boost in previous heats.
For the Superfinal the organisers used a reverse grid, with Slim Borgudd in his West Coast White Road Boss at the rear of the grid and Goransson in pole position.
Goransson took full advantage of his front placing, pulled away from the rest of the pack and was never seriously threatened. Borgudd stormed through from the back, to take third place by lap 10. He eventually reached second place after a closely fought duel with French stunt driver Remy Julienne, who was driving in only his second truck race.
Gerard Cuynet won the low power class, followed by Rod Chapman and Mel Lyndsey. Richard Walker won both heats of the 225-268kW class in the Curt Goransson won the Superfinal at Paul Rkard last week in fine style.
Century Oils Roadtrain, with Willie Green as runner up. Third place went to Gerd Korber, driving a MAN 19.332: he was fourth in both heats.
Slim Borgudd's domination of the top power class continued with two straight wins. Overall second place in the 269-373kW class went to Ralph Bjork, and third place to Andrew Levett in his Scania T142.