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tonnes is• best
Page 7
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RRY WEIGHTS should go up to 44 nes, according to the Society of Motor nufacturers and Traders, but its cials are prepared to accept a 40-tonne t.
Speaking in London last week, SMMT uty director David Gent called for the ernment and the Armitage Inquiry to or the maximum weights proposed by European Economic Community.
"The basis of Government policy is that 5iness must face up to economic reels. If the Government ducks this issue, nomic reality is for the other fellow." SMMT has told the Armitage Inquiry t the industry could gain many benefits m a 44-tonne limit in place of the sent 32.5-tonne limit, and that this uld help harmonise weights across Ppe.
But, privately, officials say they would ept a 40-tonne limit, but add that this luld be the least figure acceptable for 1980s. They say that they "see no son why we cannot geta 44-tonne it
Speaking for SMMT, Ford's Peter vitt told reporters that a switch from .5 to 44 tonnes would net an 18 per it fuel saving, a potential cost saving per tonne mile of 13 per cent, a 51.4 per cent increase in usable payload, and a reduction in the number of heavy lorries needed to move the same volume of goods.
The Society is especially keen for lorry weights to be raised to cope with 30 and 40ft ISO containers, so that lorries will not have to be part-unloaded before running legally in Britain.
It believes that an increase in weights will be good for British manufacturers who, it feels, have been stifled by the need to build 32.5-tonners for the British, and no other market.
It is confident that the British industry could cope with an increase in demand for 44-tonners, and says it "would not be embarrassed" by a sudden increase in demand.
Similarly, Crane Fruehauf's John Crane said he expected an increase in weight limits would boost demand for drawbar vehicles, as operators would be keen to make maximum use of the volume available.
SMMT expects that around 75 per cent of operators will opt for heavier lorries, but says it is not concerned by predictions about a drop in demand for vehicles.