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Don't stretch artic length, UK tells EC
Page 8
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• Britain is fighting European Commission proposals to increase the length of artics, and also looks likely to oppose a plan to add 3511nm to the maximum drawbar length.
With the Dutch also making a stand, progress towards a new agreement in Brussels on vehicle dimensions has been stopped in its tracks.
The dispute comes in the wake of EC moves to lay down rules forcing manufacturers to provide more space for cabs. Most countries now accept the principle that to ensure a satisfactory cab size it is necessary only to fix the overall length and load length.
The Brussels Commission wants an overall artic length of 16.5m — a metre longer than at present — with a 13.6m semi-trailer limit.
At a Commission meeting late last week, Britain told the EC that it is prepared to be "flexible" by increasing the maximum length of semitrailers from the present 12.2m allowed under national rules.
However, Whitehall is unwilling to make concessions about the overall UK length limit of 15.5m. For safety and environmental reasons Britain is also unlikely to accept an EC proposal to lengthen road trains from a maximum 18m to 18.35m.
Meanwhile, the Dutch are making a lone stand for a minimum cab size. They regard this as the best way of achieving maximum load length.
The Italians, Portuguese and Danes also appear to have misgivings about larger vehicles on safety grounds. The situation is complicated by current talks within the International Standards Organistaion under US pressure for larger containers.