UK 'has best case' for 44-tonners
23rd July 1998, Page 6
23rd July 1998
Page 6
Page 6, 23rd July 1998
— UK 'has best case' for 44-tonners
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III Just days before the White Paper was published, the Government came under renewed pressure to raise lorry weights to 44 tonnes before other European countries.
TPS Design argues that the UK would benefit from higher weights to compensate for having to pay a "virtual surcharge" of up to 20% on export and import prices through being separated by sea from the rest of Europe. "The UK really ought to be ahead of the rest of Europe in introducing 44-tonne lorries," says the report.
Railfreight, TPS argues, would have little to fear from increased vehicle weights as steel is probably the only traffic which could be vulnerable to the lower transport costs provided by 44-tonners.