Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing the weight limits for HGVs engaged in freight movements to and from multimodal rail terminals to 48 tonnes.

The Department is assessing industry proposals to increase the maximum authorised weights of HGVs involved in multi-modal journeys to 48 tonnes and hence make rail movements more competitive. There are significant environmental and economic benefits to a trial of such a proposal, but there are cost and feasibility issues related to infrastructure strengthening and road wear.