Q In CM December 11 1970, an appeal court judge overruled
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a court decision, qfter the operator exceeded the permitted length limit. The judge found that an articulated unit must be counted as separate vehicles, provided that 20 per cent of the weight is borne upon the tractive unit.
The trailer and load did not infringe the regulations as they were within 60ft. But the tractive unit was not included in the length of the vehicle. May I assume then that by the judge's ruling, a 60ft trailer can be coupled to a tractive unit and not exceed the C and U length limit, as they are separate vehicles?
AIn general the overall length of
vehicles is governed by Part II of the Road Traffic Act 1972 and the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1973. Section 9 of the C and U Regulations states that the overall length of an articulated vehicle shall not exceed 15 metres (about 49ft 2in.) However, Section 131(3) (b) states briefly that where a load is carried in such a manner that its weight rests on more than one vehicle (i) a motor vehicle drawing one trailer whether forming part of an articulated vehicle or not (ii) any other combination of vehicles, then in the case of (i) the overall length of the trailer together with any forward and rearward projection of the load shall not exceed 27.4 metres (about 89ft).
This is entirely different from Section 110 and 1 1 1 of the 1969 Regulations under which the appeal judgment was given.
Note, however. that Section 131 of the 1973 Regulations refers to the length of the load and trailer and not just to the trailer.