Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend longer semi-trailers for articulated goods vehicles to have unfettered use of the entire highway network or be confined to trunk roads and motorways.

A decision has not been taken whether (and if so how) to allow longer semi-trailers (LSTs) outside the trial. In the trial LSTs have access to the general highway network. We will use the evidence from the ongoing trial to inform any decisions about future use. The evidence from the trial to date demonstrates that the majority of LST operations take place on motorways. However these vehicles need ready access to depots, supplier sites and larger retail sites, in many cases near but not on motorways or trunk roads. Local Authorities have powers to restrict or prohibit the use of heavy goods vehicles on specific roads. These restrictions could also apply to LSTs.