Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on CO² emissions of making permanent the longer semi-trailer trial that is scheduled to end in 2027.

As set out in the summary report of the longer semi-trailer trial for the year 2018, published on 2 March 2020, the net emissions reduction from the trial to date is around 37,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

The extent to which these savings would be achieved outside of the current trial setting would depend on the commercial appetite for using longer semi-trailers and the regulatory regime put in place.

The future of the longer semi-trailer trial is currently under consideration.