Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2025 to Question 59664 on Large Goods Vehicles: Concrete, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reducing weight limits for volumetric concrete mixers on levels of frequently of repairs to (a) roads and (b) bridges; and what estimate she has made of levels of associated cost reductions for (i) local authorities and (ii) National Highways.

The National Highways’ report found that the load effects from heavier VCMs to be up to 17% higher than the load effects from the model for vehicles complying with the current weight limits. In addition to the impact on bridges, heavier vehicles also put more stress on roads, which impacts maintenance costs and safety. The department has not made a specific assessment on the impact on the frequency of repairs and cost reductions.