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Trends in transport

7th February 1981
Page 47
Page 47, 7th February 1981 — Trends in transport
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

John Durant looks at the major changes during the last 15 years

WHAT MAJOR changes took place in road freight operation in the 15-year period from 1962 to 1977? The Transport and Road Research Laboratory has been looking into this (Supplementary Report 572). Its main data sources were the Ministry of Transport's Road Goods Transport Surveys of 1962 and the DoE's report for 1967/68; the DoE's Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport for 197377; and the Commercial Motor Tables of Operating Costs for the years 1962-77.

M. A. Cundill and B. A. Shane, authors of the TRRL report, say, predictably, that revisions to C & U Regulations probably had the greatest effect: in 1964 limits on gross weight and vehicle length were raised — especially important was the increase in the maximum permitted weight of a goods vehicle from 24 to 32 tons.

Within the time-space examined many changes affected the industry. For example, the 1968 Road Transport Act replaced the A and B licensing system with the present operators' licensing system, although it seemed that this Act brought only small changes in operating practices.

Many factors, such as increased speed limits, the motorway network, which increased tenfold, and better goods vehicles, have improved operations, and while it was not possible to identify the effects of each change, trends relating to vehicle use were investigated.

The weight of goods carried annually by vehicles increased between 1961 and 1968, but by 1977 had declined. The figures are measured in Gtonnes, a Gtonne or Gigatonne being 1,000m or billion (tonne x 109). And the figures for these three years were 1.27, 171 and 1.42 Gtonnes respectively.

The quantity of goods moved went up steadily during the 15 years from 55 to 98 Gtonne-kilometres; length of haul for most commodities also increased steadily. But average haul lengths for vehicles of a given size changed relatively little.

Maximum weight lorries (over 28 tons gross) had by far t longest average haul length 107km in 1907. There was major shift to these vehicles. E fore 1964 goods vehicles over tons gross were not permitt€ but by 1977 they represented per cent of all goods vehicl over 3.5 tons gross.

Vehicles less than five yea old perform more annu mileage than older ones, there is no tendency for the c ferences between older ai newer vehicles to become mc accentuated. Load factors E. generally independent of t age of the vehicles.

Goods vehicle operating col were investigated using CA cost tables. In real terms the costs increased between 19 and 1974 by between 25 and per cent, the percentage crease being greatest for t smallest vehicles.

Between 1974 and 1977 t quoted • operating costs p vehicle fell by about 5 per ce Most of the changes were due changes in drivers' wages a associated costs; changes in ft costs had little effect.

"In terms of the weight goods lifted," the autho conclude "road freight transp, has declined since 1968, t average length of haul has creased and, in terms of tont kilometres of goods moN, ments, road freight transp has increased fairly stead throughout the 15-year period

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Organisations: Ministry of Transport
People: John Durant

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