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Dip plans 35t changes

26th March 1992, Page 10
26th March 1992
Page 10
Page 10, 26th March 1992 — Dip plans 35t changes
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• The DTp is proposing a number of weight increases for 35tonne artic and drawbar outfits, but reductions in bogie weights will reduce load compatibility.

A 4x2+2 artic on international work will be able to operate at 35 tonnes GCW from 1, January 1993. To operate nationally, however, it must have twin wheels on the drive axle and air suspension, or an equivalent as defined by EC directive 7/92 which governs frequency and damping requirements.

The same increase and conditions are planned for drawbar outfits, but no axle configuration has been specified.

Three-axled artics will be allowed to run at 25 tonnes GCW or, with twin-wheeled drive axle and air or equivalent suspension, at 26 tonnes. The maximum GVW of a three-axled rigid truck with an outer axle spread of 5.0m-5.6m will be 25 tonnes — or 26 tonnes if the axle spread is 5,2m-5.4m, its drive axle(s) has twin wheels, air or equivalent suspension, and it does not exceed 9,5 tonnes.

The four-axled rigid truck limit will be 30 tonnes (down 490kg), but 32 tonnes if the outer axle spread is at least 6.4m and its drive axle(s) has twin wheels, air or equivalent suspension or does not exceed 9.5 tonnes.

Existing trucks will still be able to operate at their 31 December 1992 legal plated weights. Bogie weight limits will be simplified by removing reference to weights of individual axles, but lower limits are proposed. Tandem axles on rigid chassis will be cut to 18 tonnes but an extra tonne will be allowed if each axle has air or equivalent suspension, or is not over 9.5 tonnes, and each drive axle has twin wheels.

Vehicles with wide singles on tandem bogies will be affected most, but existing trucks will still be able to operate at 31 December 1992 legal plated bogie weights.

Tandem axles on trailers will remain basically unchanged but the permitted maximum is to be cut by 340kg to 20 tonnes. Weight limits for tri-axle bogies will be simplified, but axles less than 1.3m apart will lose 100kg per axle.

A new limit of 24 tonnes is to be introduced for close-coupled four-axle bogies with an outer spread of no more than 4.6m, regardless of suspension. The train weight limit for a rigid truck drawing a trailer with overrun brakes is to be increased from 24.39 tonnes to 28.5 tonnes.

A drawbar trailer with centre tandem bogie and a maximum axle spread of 2.5m is to be allowed a GVW of 18 tonnes, providing that the front trailer axle is at least 4.2m behind the rearmost truck axle. A 27-tonne maximum will be specified for articulated buses.

0 Comments on the proposals should reach the Department of Transport by 25 April.

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Organisations: Department of Transport

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