No score drawbar limit
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• Britain's 32.5-tonne drawbar limit costs the haulage industry up to £500 million a year, claims a new report.
Operators could save £8.2 million in running costs for every thousand 32.5-tonne artics replaced by 38-tonne drawbar combinations, says the Polytechnic of Central London's Transport Studies Group.
The group sees no reason for the UK to take a different line on vehicle weights and dimensions from the rest of the European Community. Its report, Trailing Behind: The Case for Heavier Drawbars Examined, concludes that 38tonne drawbars should be introduced in the UK as soon as possible.
The report also asserts that: El 38-tonne drawbars would not be detrimental to road safety O Road track cost savings from reduced damage would be .21.25 million for every thousand 32.5-tonne artics replaced by 38-tonne drawbars O 38-tonne drawbars offer a 2.5% saving in cost-per-tonne of cargo carried compared with 32.5-tonne artics El The number of drawbars on Britain's roads will increase by up to 600 a year.
However, the Transport Study Group warns that any rise in gross train weight for drawbars should be conditional on anti-lock brakes being fitted throughout the combination, and minimum coupling-eye dimensions of 50mm being in
troduced for steering-axle trailers (57.5mrn for centre-axle trailers.).
Operators have welcomed the report. Paul Carvell of TNT Contract Distribution, which operates drawbars on contracts with Cow & Gate and VAG, says the extra payload and versatility of 38tonne drawbars would pay dividends, although he stresses larger vehicles are only effective if larger drops mean more goods can be delivered in the same amount of time.