No need for UK trials of longer heavier lorries

11th October 2007

Freight on Rail welcomes German transport ministers’ decision to reject longer heavier lorries in Germany after its own trials and believes there is no need for UK trials now. The UK  road network is even less suited to these massive trucks than German roads with motorways only comprising just under 1 per cent of our roads compared to over 5 per cent in Germany.

The Secretary of State for Transport will shortly receive a report outlining whether the Government should allow trials of the same type of longer and heavier lorries (LHVs) on the UK’s roads.

Not only did the Germans reject the 60 tonne 25.5 metre version but also it rejected the 25.25metre 40 tonne option. Freight on Rail believes that these vehicles are totally unsuited to our roads on safety and environmental grounds. 

Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail Campaigner said “The German decision is right for society and the environment across Europe. The trials higlighted the  increased risk for road safety. Neither the German nor the British public want these massive vehicles which would mean more lorries, more road congestion, more road accidents and more pollution.”

For more details contact Philippa Edmunds at Freight on Rail on 020 8241 9982 or 07981 881410 (mobile) or by email at philippa@freightonrail.org.uk

 
Notes to editors

• The Department for Transport (DfT) is due to receive a report shortly from Herriot Watt University and TRL advising on whether to allow trials of super trucks, known as LHVs.
• LHVs could mean more lorry-miles if road transport becomes cheaper.
• Even currently LHV’s size and lack of manoeuvrability are safety hazards. They are twice as likely to be involved in fatal accidents as cars.
• 18-metre-long bendy buses cause over twice as many injuries as other buses.
• The claimed environmental benefits of LHVs rely on very high levels of load utilisation – in excess of that routinely achieved within the haulage sector. At lower levels of utilisation the environmental performance of LHVs would be worse.
• Freight trains emit five times less carbon dioxide per tonne mile than road haulage.
• An average freight train can remove 50 heavy goods vehicles from our roads.
• Freight on Rail is a partnership between ASLEF, TSSA, RMT, UNITE - AMICUS, EWS, Freightliner, the Rail Freight Group and Campaign for Better Transport.
  

Comparison UK to Germany

Country	UK	Germany
	Baseline	Values	% of UK
Population	59,667,840	82,689,210	139%
Surface Area	242,900	357,022	147%
Vehicles/sq. km	135	154	114%
Route Km	3,519	12,174	346%
Population Density	246	231.608	94%
Motorway km/ Total Road km	0.00907	0.05259	580%
Fatalities per 100k pop.	6.1	8.0	131%

Sources - UK: DfT 2005  Germany: Federal Statistic Office & Federal Highway Research Institute

Fatalities Source: ATSB, International road safety comparisons—the 2003 report, 2005

Italics represent figures unable to confirm with official statistics