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Denby abandons trial of LHV on public road
Page 8
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By Roger Brown
DENBY TRANSPORT has been forced to abandon its trial of one of its longer heavier vehicles (LHVs) after police and VOSA officials prevented the truck from leaving the company's depot on Tuesday 1 December.
The Lincoln-based haulier was prepared to take one of its EcoLink 25.25m (8311) trailers for a half-hour run on a seven-mile stretch of the A46 without having a government permit.
As the truck was driven through the gates by director Dick Denby, VOSA staff, accompanied by police officers, insisted the trial be stopped in order for them to carry out tests and measurements regarding its legality.
The Department for Transport (DIE') rejected trials of such ychiJes in a report released in 2008, on the grounds of safety and their 2,nvironmental impact.
Denby Transport believes that the interpretation of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 allows for a zombination of two or more trailers up to 25.9m. But the DtT believes this "towing implement" refers to recovering a vehicle after an accident or breakdown.
Peter Denby, managing director at Denby Transport, says: "The trial is now abandoned, but if [it] provides us with some clarification on the issue, this could be a step forward.
"This is not a challenge to the authorities, we are simply seeking clarification of the legislation.
"We believe that the vehicles are legal. We have spent months and years talking to the government and this is the same prototype that we have been trialling for the past five years."
A DfT spokesperson tells CM that the government is sticking to its position that such vehicles will not be allowed on UK roads for "the foreseeable future: Jack Semple, Road Haulage Association (RHA) policy director, tells CM that the haulier is engaging in a debate that is "still very much alive in Europe and cannot be ignored in the UK': "We support Denby Transport's initiative to clarify the law. 'This isn't going to go away," he says.
James Hookham, Freight Trans
port Association (FTA) director of policy and communications, says the FTA will be watching the outcome with "keen interest': Philippa Edmunds, manager at rail freight lobby group Freight on Rail, says: "Denby Transport is breaking the spirit of the law, if not the law itself, and ignoring public opinion."
• Turn to page 11 for an update on Muldoon's trailer.