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Longer... heavier...
Page 22
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but is it better?
Operators at the RHA conference voiced their opinion on longer, heavier vehicles. Louise Cole reports.
Road Haulage Association (RHA) delegates passed a motion last week recommending a government review into the operational uses of longer, heavier vehicles ( LHVs) to see "if the concept can be embraced for permanent adoption".
The conference heard fromBrian Smith, truck product manager of Volvo, and George Inch, MD of DHL container logistics, who suggested he had -more questions than answers" on thesubject but felt LHVs offered substantial benefits Smith said operators could take numerous options, including a rigid with a semi-trailer or another 20ft container on the back; this has the advantage of meeting the 25.25m standard already accepted in Sweden and currently being trialled in the Netherlands. However, the alternative is to hold out for the 34m B-double combinations proposed by Stan Robinson. Inch suggested the industry should not be too swift to compromise on length.
Although the motion wascarried by a substantial majority and RHA president Roger King promised to pass it to the board that creates RHA policy, members' reactions to the issue of LHVs were mixed.
"I don't want to go for a halfway house on this. I'd like to try one but I don't run 6x2 rigids or 610hp vehicles [as in Volvo's presentation]. 1 think I'd rather go for Stan Robinson's rig because we all run tractor units."
Jonathan Bulmer MD, Bulmer Logistics "We have some members who would use these even on short runs, say of 30 miles, and say they could save money with them."
Jack Semple Director of policy, RBA "For me there wouldn't currently be much of a place for these. For those who could use them I have no problems whatsoever. As someone who runs double decks, I think there will be a public perception problem. This is another excuse for rate cuts-that will always be a problem for the industry.
Andy Boyle ABE Ledbury "I wouldn't support LHVs. We have a bad enough image already. I don't think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.Bob Russett Palletline Logistics [When asked whether Swedish experiences really applied to the different terrain in the UK] "The Netherlands is the country we want to watch their motorways are just as congested as ours." Brian Smith Volvo truck product manager "Trucks don't contribute very much to congestion, so it's difficult to argue that they can relieve congestion significantly."
Alan McKinnon Professor of logistics Heriot-Watt University "I'm not particularly in favour of LHVs I think rates will simply go down again. [In the existing schemes] you're talking about lots of European countries where the terrain is very different."
Annie Preston Prestons of Potto