Plans laid for rail head 44-tonners
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by Nicky Clarke
• Container hauliers carrying freight to and from rail terminals will be able to take advantage of a ao tonne higher payload from the beginning of next year, if Government proposals for 44 tonnes announced this week are agreed by Parliament.
The Draft Regulations which allow 44-tonne vehicles on six axles with road-friendly suspension for freight collected from or taken to rail-heads, include a proposal for an increase from 35 to 38 tonnes for drawbar trailer combinations on five or more axles.
The move to 44 tonnes is intended to "enable mad/rail operators to compete on an equal footing with road transport in terms of payload", says the DOT.
The 94-tonne combination will have a payload of 24 tonnes, says the DOT, with the extra axle weighing up to one tonne. The existing weight limit of 38 tonnes means container operators can carry goods weighing 19 tonnes.
Transport Secretary John MacGregor hailed the move as a "boost for the rail freight industry and a further incentive for companies to move goods by rail". His announcement generated a mixed reaction from industry.
The Freight Transport Association, which has long campaigned for 44 tonnes across the board, described the move as a "political, cynical decision".
The Road Haulage Association is disappointed that the new limit will not be extended to operators carrying containers into and out of ports.