60 tonne, 82' 10" road trains outside your local store
Discussion
Oh, joy. The EU Motor Vehicle Working Group has set out to 'harmonise' maximum vehicle lengths on EU roads. Currently, this means up to 60 tonnes and 25.25m (82' 10") in length, comprising two trailers.
Two or three of these pulling up outside your local 'convenience' store throughout the day will undoubtedly inconvenience other motorists ... not to mention the people who want(ed) to stop and shop.
This was heralded in late 2009, but new leaked documents (not via Wikileaks) show progress being made to this end, with the likelihood that member countries will not be able to ban the lorries.
And this might not be the end, the Swedes would like 90-tonne, three trailer lorries.
Jack Semple, Road Haulage Association, has suggested that, "Longer and heavier vehicles are more sensible."
What country does he live in? Longer? Heavier? The man's deluded.
He went on to say that, "The safety-conscious Swedes have been using 60 tonners for five decades."
I can't wait to see what BRAKE (et al) make of that ... who knows, I might even find myself agreeing with them.
Once this comes in - and it will - cue additional spending to upgrade bridges to cope with the extra weight and other road works to cope with the extra length. Kent Police's 'Operation Stack' will probably have to be re-worked to include the M25.
Streaky
Two or three of these pulling up outside your local 'convenience' store throughout the day will undoubtedly inconvenience other motorists ... not to mention the people who want(ed) to stop and shop.
This was heralded in late 2009, but new leaked documents (not via Wikileaks) show progress being made to this end, with the likelihood that member countries will not be able to ban the lorries.
And this might not be the end, the Swedes would like 90-tonne, three trailer lorries.
Jack Semple, Road Haulage Association, has suggested that, "Longer and heavier vehicles are more sensible."
What country does he live in? Longer? Heavier? The man's deluded.
He went on to say that, "The safety-conscious Swedes have been using 60 tonners for five decades."
I can't wait to see what BRAKE (et al) make of that ... who knows, I might even find myself agreeing with them.
Once this comes in - and it will - cue additional spending to upgrade bridges to cope with the extra weight and other road works to cope with the extra length. Kent Police's 'Operation Stack' will probably have to be re-worked to include the M25.
Streaky
The last time this was brought up, the haulage industry only want them for Depot to Depot runs, using main routes. Not delivering to the local co-op.
Axle weights wont increase by much (if at all, depending on the design adopted) so bridges wont need to be upgraded.
This was the case when Denby and Robinson were applying to VOSA to run trials for these vehicles a few years ago. Denby even got himself arrested to try and bring the arguments for these vehicles infront of the courts IIRC.
Personally I think they are a good idea, but restrictions need to looked at very carefully.
Axle weights wont increase by much (if at all, depending on the design adopted) so bridges wont need to be upgraded.
This was the case when Denby and Robinson were applying to VOSA to run trials for these vehicles a few years ago. Denby even got himself arrested to try and bring the arguments for these vehicles infront of the courts IIRC.
Personally I think they are a good idea, but restrictions need to looked at very carefully.
OP, you should write for the daily mail, with that sensationalist claptrap as your opening gambit.
The fact is, a single truck pulling two trailers is both shorter and lighter than 2 individual artics pulling the same load. They wouldn't get used on multi-drop deliveries (ie to your local convenience store, it's difficult enough for a standard artic as it is), but for inter-depot trunks, much like the double deck trailers do (which don't do store deliveries either).
Motorway congestion would reduce (which is a good thing, surely), haulage costs would drop somewhat too. There's be no difference in braking performance or road damage since the weight per axle wouldn't change.
I really don't see why the small minded have a problem with this. Fewer trucks, less cost to us the consumer, less congestion. What's not to like?
The fact is, a single truck pulling two trailers is both shorter and lighter than 2 individual artics pulling the same load. They wouldn't get used on multi-drop deliveries (ie to your local convenience store, it's difficult enough for a standard artic as it is), but for inter-depot trunks, much like the double deck trailers do (which don't do store deliveries either).
Motorway congestion would reduce (which is a good thing, surely), haulage costs would drop somewhat too. There's be no difference in braking performance or road damage since the weight per axle wouldn't change.
I really don't see why the small minded have a problem with this. Fewer trucks, less cost to us the consumer, less congestion. What's not to like?
streaky said:
What country does he live in? Longer? Heavier? The man's deluded.
When you think about it, there is a crazy logic there. If you were to string enough trailer units together, you'd eventually get to a point where the vehicle wouldn't actually have to move at all in order to make a delivery 
Think of all the emissions savings.JJ
Knock_knock][Crocodile Dundee] That's not a road train. This is a road train! [/Crocodile Dundee said:
Apparently there are much bigger ones as well, but I couldn't find any pictures
KK
car crazy said:
Apparently there are much bigger ones as well, but I couldn't find any pictures
KK
ETA I've just lookd them up and they can be up to 110m in length. Imagine how long it would take to overtake one of these travelling at 60mph when you're only allowed to do 80...
Edited by Alfa numeric on Tuesday 1st February 11:28
The Swedish version comprises a three axle rigid witha drawbar onto a twin axle dolly equipped with a 5th wheel coupling, and onto that is hooked a standard semi trailer.
It's no big deal frankly, however, there is a lot more space in the country and iirc they don't comply with EU turning circle regs.
No idea what the 90 tonne version comprises.
As to situation in UK, let's face it even now Tesco create a problem with sending std artics to deliver to their smaller shops, and have been told about it numerous times. Sainsbury's have quite a decent fllet of small rigids and try to address this issue.
As others have said it's for main trunking and especially for loads constrained by space rather than weight. This is often the case with supermarkets.
It's no big deal frankly, however, there is a lot more space in the country and iirc they don't comply with EU turning circle regs.
No idea what the 90 tonne version comprises.
As to situation in UK, let's face it even now Tesco create a problem with sending std artics to deliver to their smaller shops, and have been told about it numerous times. Sainsbury's have quite a decent fllet of small rigids and try to address this issue.
As others have said it's for main trunking and especially for loads constrained by space rather than weight. This is often the case with supermarkets.
As if these will be outside your local Tesco Express 
These vehicles will be used for depot-to-depot trunking.
It's simple logic - bigger vehicle means you can get more in it, meaning you need to use less vehicles.
Good for the haulier who pays less in wages, fuel, leasing and maintenance
Good for the driver who has less trucks clogging up roads
Good for the consumer who pays less for their goods which have cost less to get there (or at least would have if fuel wasn't rising)
You wouldn't need to upgrade any roads or bridges, just limit which roads these trucks can drive on
These vehicles will be used for depot-to-depot trunking.
It's simple logic - bigger vehicle means you can get more in it, meaning you need to use less vehicles.
Good for the haulier who pays less in wages, fuel, leasing and maintenance
Good for the driver who has less trucks clogging up roads
Good for the consumer who pays less for their goods which have cost less to get there (or at least would have if fuel wasn't rising)
You wouldn't need to upgrade any roads or bridges, just limit which roads these trucks can drive on
Restricted routes, OK but what happens when an approved motorway or trunk road closes and the diversion does not accommodate these vehicles?
And the driver is foreign...
And it's not just down to axle loads as the total load of several vehicles in tandem?
Aren't we still doing bridges from the last weight increase? Probably some still to do from the one before that if truth be known.
Easy to say, not so easy or cheap to do.
And the driver is foreign...
And it's not just down to axle loads as the total load of several vehicles in tandem?
Aren't we still doing bridges from the last weight increase? Probably some still to do from the one before that if truth be known.
Easy to say, not so easy or cheap to do.
Alfa numeric said:
Imagine how long it would take to overtake one of these travelling at 60mph when you're only allowed to do 80...
About 15 seconds. But 60mph is a fair speed, that's the speed I commute at on the motorways.If these vehicles are talked about being used for trunk routes depot to depot then it's a bit of a non story isn't it?
I am assuming they come with bigger units then? I know that my other half has a pulling restriction on his unit, something like about 20 tonnes, cos he had to sit and wait for them to bring him a new unit one day so he could do the job he had been sent out for. Not all of them on the road at the moment are certified or whatever upto 40t.
jazzyjeff said:
speedchick said:
I know that my other half has a pulling restriction on his unit,
Very sensible JJ
I just couldn't for the life of me think of the correct terms needed, as most of what I know about trucking was restricted to the theory test questions, not really something I have a lot of interest in, just that I know his only goes to around 20 tonnes or something like that.
I'll shut up now shall I
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