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FTA backs calls for LSTs 111111 " 111
Page 13
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on 'greener' grounds
By Brian Weathertey TI IE INTRODUCTION of longer semitrailers (LSTs) for 18m artics would have an immediate and significant effect on reducing the UK road transport industry's carbon footprint, insists James Hook ham, Freight Transport Association (FTA) head of policy and communications.
Speaking at last week's 18m articulated vehicle seminar, that was organised by Iveco. Hookham declared: "I would challenge any politicians to come up with a single action that can make that kind of change."
Cutting emissions
Based on data from the recent Department for Transport (D1T)-backed TRL LHV study, by switching to LSTs a 'standard articulated fleet' could see vehicle journeys reduced by 57 million kilometres. while its CO, emissions could be reduced by 45,000-60-000 tonnes.
The FTA has joined forces with Iveco to call on the DtT to allow on-the-road trials of artics up to 18m in the UK.
However, Hookham says: "We need to sell LSTs in terms of their carbon reduction. The public has a poor understanding of why big trucks are necessary although they are consumers and concerned about climate change. We need to stop talking about them as longer semi-trailers and start talking about them as carbon-saving vehicles — that's everyone's responsibility."
While the DtT has commissioned consultants to report back to it by the end of the year into the possible benefits — or drawbacks — of LSTs, it has already ruled out any parallel hike in artic gross combination weights to offset any increase in the longer trailers' tare weight.
However, at last week's seminar, Hookham criticised the department for taking such a pre-emptive 'payload neutral' stance before the study was even completed. If longer artics are given the go-ahead, volume-sensitive own-account operators are likely to be the biggest 1ST users, not least by allowing 13.76m containers to be carried on a 44-tonne articulated combination.
• A report on LSTs and the lveco 18m artic seminar will appear in CM 5 November.