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Campaigners slam increase in extra-long 'deadly' HGVs

Not enough data on how these lorries operate, say campaign groups

The government is to allow more extra-long lorries onto UK roads, a move campaigners say will be deadly for cyclists.

At 70ft long, the lorries are 15 per cent (7ft) longer than standard HGVs, and are being trialled on our roads.

Cycling groups including LCC, British Cycling and & Cycling UK and road safety groups are opposed to their use, saying that the extra length behind the read axles has a tail swing of double that other HGVs.

These campaigners say cyclists are ill-warned of the additional dangers they should look out for when interacting with these longer lorries.

Philippa Edmunds, from the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “The Government’s decision to allow even more longer lorries onto UK roads is based on incorrect assumptions and flawed research.

“The supposed environmental and safety benefits of longer lorries are partial and not derived from scientific data. The Government does not even know which minor roads the lorries are using and for what distances and should be collecting this data via GPS or telematics before it even considers an extension of the trial.
 
“By extending this trial by an additional five years we are extremely concerned that the Government is ignoring the very real danger posed by these longer lorries on urban roads, which unlike the strategic road network, are totally unsuitable for these vehicles because the extended rear tail swing is double that of existing HGVs.

“In order to reduce the risks to other road users, especially cyclists and pedestrians, these longer lorries must to be restricted to local authority defined routes immediately.”

According to Campaign for Better Transport, the Government’s claims that longer lorries produce less carbon emission and are safer than standard HGV are unreliable because there is no independent analysis of the safety or fuel efficiency efficiency of longer lorries. The only analysis relies on information submitted by the haulage operators taking part in the trial.

There is currently no data available on which roads are being used by the lorries in the trial or for what distances or for how long. Instead of getting this accurate information using GPS, the DfT is proposing that its consultants will use origin and destination post codes to model likely routes which is no substitute for accurate data.

Because of the lack of manoeuvrability of longer lorries there is a significantly higher risk of them getting stuck or damaging street furniture and buildings. Two operators monitored in the trial using urban roads, still experienced 128 per cent and 177 per cent higher damage incidents per million km using longer lorries than compared to the standard HGVs doing similar trips. 

Back in 2013 we reported how the Campaign for Better Transport and the Technical Advisers’ Group appealed to Patrick McLoughlin, the then Transport Secretary, for local authorities to designate specific routes that can be used by the new lorries, protecting vulnerable road users and protect road surfaces and properties on the routes.

The lorries, which can be up to 18.55m long, have also been found to damage street furniture and other parked vehicles on urban roads, due to a greater tail swing and more pronounced driver blind spots.

As well as proving dangerous for those around them, the lorries also force local authorities to spend more money on repairing the damage they cause.

A demonstration of the new longer vehicle at the Department for Transport’s testing facility in Millbrook Bedfordshire showed the rear tail-swing when turning corners was significantly greater than normal HGVs, up to 1.3 m greater under normal road conditions, and would occur within the driver’s blind spot, posing a significant threat to other road users, especially cyclists and pedestrians.

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8 comments

Avatar
WillRod | 7 years ago
1 like

Lorries are already causing huge damage to the roads, the A14 from the port of felixtowe has ruts where the lorry wheels are which can 'grab' the wheel of your car when you move across them. Ancient buildings are being smashed by lorries going down narrow roads, making them longer won't help.

We need smaller lorries, and lorry drivers should support this move as it makes their job easier and employs more people. Also hybrid/electric vans should be encouraged in cities to reduce pollution.

Ultimately the government will keep screwing the country over to promote business, cut costs and raise unemployment just to get a few backhanders every so often.

Avatar
Redvee | 7 years ago
1 like

An extra 7ft in length gains four pallet spaces on a single deck trailer, is it really worth it?

Avatar
Tommytrucker | 7 years ago
3 likes

I can't see the point of having an extra 7ft in length on a trailer. It can't be for transporting abnormal size loads as we've been getting on fine for years without a need to increase length. If its purely to get more stock on they should sod off. We use double decker trailers which give you two floors worth of space on a regular length trailer, obviously there is an increase in height.
The extra swing when turning would be horrendous, any increase in the length is just asking for trouble

Avatar
wycombewheeler | 7 years ago
4 likes

seeing as lorry drivers seem unable to stick to roads suitable for their use

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38775559

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/lorry-driver-causes-200000-worth-of-da...

I thnk we should be looking at lower limits for HGV sizes, not larger limits.

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I love my bike replied to wycombewheeler | 7 years ago
2 likes

wycombewheeler wrote:

seeing as lorry drivers seem unable to stick to roads suitable for their use

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38775559

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/lorry-driver-causes-200000-worth-of-da...

I thnk we should be looking at lower limits for HGV sizes, not larger limits.

Not sure why the technology being used/not used is highlighted as being the issue? If an ANPR camera was used to collect evidence of ignoring road signs & fines etc were then collected, I'm sure taking short-cuts like these would suddenly drop! Similarly, I'd imagine an automatic weighbridge could be used to catch overloaded trucks.

 

As (even) normal cars often don't seem to be able to pass cyclists safely, what chance even longer lorries?

Avatar
huntswheelers | 7 years ago
3 likes

No wonder the "maintained decline" UK roads are so F*cked up... 

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Grahamd | 7 years ago
0 likes

I was under the impression that the UK only started to allow larger lorries after some EU ruling that we had to allow continental lorries into the U.K. I genuinely hoped that with Brexit we would return to more appropriate sized lorries.

Avatar
brooksby replied to Grahamd | 7 years ago
5 likes

Grahamd wrote:

I was under the impression that the UK only started to allow larger lorries after some EU ruling that we had to allow continental lorries into the U.K. I genuinely hoped that with Brexit we would return to more appropriate sized lorries.

I think that's a fundamental misunderstanding of what losing EU regs will mean. On our way to becoming the sweatshop and tax haven off Europe's shores, we have to show that we are 'Open For Business' (TM) and that means bigger lorries, higher emissions, lower air quality and whatever it takes. Didn't you get the memo?

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