The great debate
Page 18
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MR THORPE'S letter (CM, October 30) does not reflect facts published by the Department of Transport in their TRRL report SR 509, where it was stated that higher lorry weights would result in an anticipated seven per cent increase in the size of articulated vehicles.
Heavier lorries will result in some loads becoming volume rather than weight restricted and we are seeing the effect of this on our roads with the replacement of 15-metre artics by 18-metre drawbars; an increase in size of 20 per cent. For bulk traffics we will also see the replacement of 11-metre rigids by 15.5-metre artics; an increase in size of 41 per cent.
Railfreight, incidentally, has not opposed heavier lorries. We operate as a commercial business without subsidy but competition demands that total costs for each mode are declared and the public believes that larger lorries carry an environmental cost to their local communities.
MIKE JONES, MCIT National Business Manager Raiffreight