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December 15, 2009:
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Press Notices

6 March 2000
CfIT calls for lorry fleet benefits

The Commission for Integrated Transport today announced proposals designed to maximise the efficiency of the UK lorry fleet while delivering key environmental benefits.

At the heart of an interim report to the Deputy Prime Minister is the recommendation to allow the largest lorries currently on the road in the UK to operate in general use at 44 tonnes.

In a 'sustainable distribution' package accompanying the advice, the Commission urges the Government to get tough on lorries operating outside the law. And the Commission recommends that action be taken to promote growth in rail freight to counter possible increased competition from the road haulage industry. The report recommends that the Government should not permit lorries to operate at 44 tonnes before it has taken action to implement the package.

Using 44 tonne lorries is more environmentally friendly than current 40 and 41 tonne vehicles because the increased weight limit will allow them to carry three tonnes more cargo. This means fewer lorries to carry the same weight of goods. New work carried out for the Commission indicates that this could lead to a cut of 100,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions from the lorry fleet each year. 44 tonne lorries will also be required to meet tough EC Euro II emission standards aimed at cutting local air pollution.

44 tonne lorries also cause less damage to roads and bridges than other lorries as the weight is spread over six axles rather than five.

The proposals, which have the backing of the entire Commission - which includes rail industry leaders, lorry operators and environmentalists - will take up to 1,000 lorries off the road. This would save the equivalent of up to 230 return lorry journeys a day between London and Edinburgh. A study carried out for the Commission predicts these benefits even where the efficiency savings lead to some increase in lorry mileage and some loss of freight from rail to road. However the report acknowledges that uncertainties remain over the longer term consequences.

The Commission is asking the shadow Strategic Rail Authority to assess how to remove obstacles to growth in the rail freight industry and to report back in 6 months time. The Commission will then produce a final report on 44 tonne lorries, making recommendations on rail freight on the basis of the sSRA's advice. Today's report recommends that the Government should not permit 44 tonne lorries to be introduced before it has been able to act upon the advice in the final report.

Commission Chair, Professor David Begg, said : "There are some important environmental benefits to be had here - both in terms of reducing pollution and the numbers of lorries on our roads.

"44 tonne lorries are the same as lorries currently on our roads - they are just allowed to carry heavier loads. It does not make sense to have more lorries on our roads than need be, when they can carry more cargo without any adverse consequences simply by filling space which now has to be empty. And fewer vehicles means less pollution.

"Lorries capable of operating at 44 tonnes have already been driving around the country for more than a year for general use at 41 tonnes and since 1994 for journeys to railheads at 44 tonnes and no one has even noticed they are there. The vehicles are no bigger than other lorries and are indistinguishable from those in widespread use today.

"Although the immediate environmental and economic benefits are unambiguous even where overall lorry mileage rises and some freight shifts away from rail, we have made clear in our report that there are longer term uncertainties over the consequences for lorry mileage and rail freight.

The Commission also urges tough new enforcement checks on illegal lorries using hi tech solutions.

Professor Begg, said: "Illegal lorries are a real risk to other road users and pedestrians, and compete unfairly with legal operators. More needs to be done.

"We believe that more resources should be put into tackling these rogue operators. Among the secret weapons in our armoury are new mobile weigh pads and brake testers.

"Drivers will never know where the vehicle inspectors are until they are pulled over and their vehicles double-checked. We are recommending that these new powers are backed by tough new penalties covering both fines and operator licence removal.

"We also want to see Government acdon to allow the impounding of illegal lorries and to enforce prohibitions of heavy lorries from inappropriate roads."

Notes to editors

1. The interim report has been approved by the entire Commission and is being published in full. Copies are available on the CflT web site at http://www.independent.gov.uk/cfit.

2. The Commission was asked by the Government to advise on whether maximum lorry weights should be increased to 44 tonnes. The Commission took its remit from the Integrated Transport White Paper, paras 3.164-3.169.

3. 44 tonne lorries are the same size and shape as existing articulated lorries; they are simply permitted to carry heavier loads. Lorries carrying dense goods such as metals or liquids will tend to reach the current weight limit before they are full. Only about a quarter of loads are currently weight constrained; most lorries fill up before reaching the weight limit.

4. Permitting lorries to operate up to 44 tonnes allows the space inside to be used more efficiently and ultimately will mean fewer lorry trips to carry the same weight of goods. This will have benefits for the environment, congestion and economic efficiency. The safety features and minimum braking distances of such lorries are unaffected by operating at 44 tonnes.

5. The CfIT report recommends a number of conditions for the introduction of 44 tonne lorries:

6. For further information please contact or Jackie Stephens on 020 7724 6276.

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