Call for 36 tons gross weight
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BRITISH road hauliers operating to and from the Continent are being seriously impeded by existing regulations, claimed Mr Clifford Wilson speaking to the Road Haulage Association international functional group in London last week.
"The bulk of business is done in multiples of 20 tons, and this applies to the exporter and the importer," he says.
"If a road haulier is to carry the 20-ton load, an increase of 3-4 tons is required in the permitted gross weight from the present maximum of 32 tons to 35-36 tons." The unladen weight of a trailer was 6-7 tons and the drive unit or tractor a further 6-7 tons. Before any load was carried, there was a factor of 12-14 tons and if the vehicle was refrigerated, an extra 2-3 tons on that.
Mr Wilson said that the economics of business revolved round a 20-ton load and, therefore, the present maximum of 32 tons needed revising to 36 tons. He pointed out that the Germans in March this year changed their regulations to allow a four or five-axle vehicle to carry 38 tons gross. France allowed 38 tons and Holland 36 tons on four-axle and 42 tons on five-axle vehicles, There was one other anomaly on the statute book which needed amendment urgently, and that was an additional half metre (under 20 inches) to the permitted length of a vehicle was required to prevent operating illegally.
There were many vehicles currently on the road a few inches longer than 15 metres and, therefore, in order to operate legally.