Date for heavier hi-axles
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1 The Department of Transort has confirmed that from 1 anuary, 1989, new C&U reglations will allow 24 tonnes on tii-axle semi-trailer bogie, ■ rovided that it is fitted with ir suspension and also for :.6m wide thick-walled rerigerated trailers. Both :hanges were flagged earlier his year, but the DTp has now et a date for their introduction
n Britain.
The current maximum reefer vidth is 2.58m and the Govniment has opted for a new !.6m limit to bring the UK into he with European Community )irective 88/218 on the issue.
In justifying the tii-axle trail!r weight increase, from 7.5 ormes to 8 tonnes per axle, he Dip says that "better load !qualisation" will result in "reiucing bridge loading and road year, enabling HGV operators
o use a greater proportion of he rated load as payload with ess risk of individual axles xing overloaded."
According to the Department of Transport: "Research has shown that, in general, tri
axle bogies at 24 tonnes on air suspension produce no greater dynamic loads than conventional steel spring suspensions at 22.5 tonnes.
"At present, semi-trailers with steel spring suspension often show considerable load variation between axles.
"Operators tend to be cautious and under-utilise the maximum theoretical payload due to the practical limitations of the suspension system. The Department aims to reduce the risk of axle overloading through the encouragement of improved suspension performance.
"Air suspension systems compensate more accurately so that there is usually no more than 50kg between the lightest and heaviest of the three axles. This value has been set as the performance standard in the new regulations."