Roads: Long and Heavy Vehicles Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Roads: Long and Heavy Vehicles

Lord Craig of Radley Excerpts
Wednesday 1st December 2010

(13 years, 11 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, the gross train weight—that is, the all-up weight of a heavy goods vehicle—was increased some time ago from 38 tonnes to 44 tonnes, but the axle weight is considerably lower than that.

Lord Craig of Radley Portrait Lord Craig of Radley
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My Lords, will the Minister take into account the number of heavy goods vehicles that have jack-knifed during the recent bad weather and caused considerable traffic delays? Does this need to be borne in mind in deciding on the future of these arrangements?

Earl Attlee Portrait Earl Attlee
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My Lords, one of our motivations for considering a slightly longer articulated trailer rather than using a rigid vehicle towing a draw-bar trailer—precisely the point that the noble and gallant Lord makes—is that we believe that an articulated vehicle will be slightly safer.