Longer Heavier Vehicle
Encyclopedia
Longer Heavier Vehicles also called super lorries
, is a classification of large goods vehicle
(LGV) (formerly Heavy Goods Vehicles, HGVs) in the United Kingdom
. LHVs are not presently allowed to operate on UK roads, being longer and/or heavier than the legal limits, which as of 2009 allowed LGVs up to a maximum of 6 axle
s and 44 t (43.3 LT; 48.5 ST) of fully laden vehicle weight, and a maximum overall length of 16.5 metre for articulated lorries
, or 18.75 metre for drawbar
lorries.
Since the early 2000s, some haulage companies in the UK had been investigating potential LHV designs and lobbying for a change in the law. Various types of LHV exist, and most of the larger types involve using extra axles, and different trailer arrangements, forming so called road train
s. LHVs are supported by some hauliers as a way to increase productivity and reduce costs. Their introduction however faces opposition from rail freight, road safety and environmental groups, who want a general reduction in road traffic, and from portions of the general public over general safety and quality of life issues.
In 2005, some companies unsuccessfully applied to the Department for Transport
(DfT) for permission to be able to trial their prototype vehicles. In November 2006, the DfT launched a desk based study into the potential impact of a multitude of LHV options on the UK road transport sector, and the wider economy and environment in general, looking at options ranging from simply extending existing lengths and weights of articulated and drawbar lorries, up to allowing 11-axle, 34 metre long, 82 t (80.7 LT; 90.4 ST) fully laden weight vehicles. In June 2008, based on the study's conclusions, the legalisation of most types of LHV was postponed indefinitely, due to concerns over the effect on the rail freight sector, and the need for infrastructure and other changes, although a further investigation into the LHV option of extending the length of articulated lorries, to create Longer Semi-Trailers (LSTs), was begun in June 2009.
Despite the 2008 DfT ruling on LHVs, Lincoln
based haulage company Denby Transport, one of the most active proponents of LHVs who had developed their own 25.25 metre long 60 t (59.1 LT; 66.1 ST) Denby Eco-Link
LHV, is attempting to have their vehicle legalised at 44 t (43.3 LT; 48.5 ST), under an existing UK legal loophole dating from 1986.
member states, this term was officially changed to LGV - Large goods vehicle
. Articulated lorries are the more common configuration of larger LGV in the UK, where a tractor unit
tows a semi-trailer
through a fifth wheel coupling
. The drawbar configuration is a less common example of large LGV, and consists of a rigid lorry with cargo carrying capacity, which also pulls a second cargo trailer, using a drawbar
link. The UK also allows the use of 18 metre long 'bendy buses'
for public transport. Buses however have their own legal classification, as PSVs (Passenger Service Vehicles).
s, and limited to an overall maximum weight of 44 t (43.3 LT; 48.5 ST) and 16.5 metre in length for articulated lorries
, and 44 t (43.3 LT; 48.5 ST) and 18.75 metre for drawbar lorries. The restriction on overall length is why the majority of UK lorries are hauled by 'cab over
' tractor units, although for the minority of UK uses where the weight limit is reached before the length limit, conventional truck
s are legal.
Longer, heavier vehicles (LHVs) is a classification given to any vehicle that is heavier and/or longer than these legal limits. This can involve basic extensions of the normal articulated or drawbar configuration, or can be achieved with more axles and a more complex configuration, with the largest examples being similar to so called road train
s elsewhere in the world.
As of 2009, European Union
member countries only have the power to raise the existing EU weight and length limits in their own countries. As of January 2009, the European Union
was considering the conclusions of an European Commission
(EC) instigated report, which recommended raising limits EU wide to 60 t (59.1 LT; 66.1 ST) and 25.25 metre, for reasons of cost-effectiveness. This would require approval of the EU Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.
UK hauliers Dick Denby of Denby Transport and Stan Robinson from Stan Robinson Group were two of the biggest supporters of an LHV trial. Both companies had been developing their own designs, and had been lobbying the government for permission to test them on UK roads. The Robinson Group were developing the Stan Robinson Road Train, an 11 or 12 axle 84 t (82.7 LT; 92.6 ST) combination of two 13.6 metre semi-trailers linked by a trailer dolly
. Since around 2002, Denby had been developing the Denby Eco-Link
, an 8 axle, 60 t (59.1 LT; 66.1 ST), 25.25 metre long vehicle with two trailers, known as a B-Double
.
Supported by the Road Haulage Association
, the it was proposed that these LHV's would only be used on Motorways to carry cargo between regional distribution centres
. The application was opposed by Transport 2000
who believed it would eventually lead to the use of such vehicles in towns and villages. In March 2006, Transport minister Stephen Ladyman
refused the Denby and Robinson applications, but also sought the results of further analysis. An application for a 16 metre long trailer was also refused. The use of LHVs only on inter-modal routes was reportedly rejected due to the problems of enforcement of any such restriction.
, with Heriot-Watt University
also involved.
The study looked at seven different scenarios for increased weight and/or length over the current arrangements:
The report had originally been due to be published in October 2007.
During 2007, the prospect of LHV's being approved sparked public debate on 'road trains' for the UK, with the claimed environmental, cost and road safety benefits being contrasted with quality of life issues, and questions of perceived safety risk to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists of LHV's on British roads, with LHV's drawing such descriptions as 'monsters' or 'supertankers of the highway', and drawing comparisons to the "murderous" bendy-buses in London. An increase in the size of lorries was opposed by the rail industry, with the Freight On Rail lobby group saying in 2007 that past increases had only resulted in half empty lorries.
On 4 June 2008 based on the DfT report, Transport Minister Ruth Kelly
declared that the use of LHV's would not be trialled in the UK, but indicated support for a study into extending the length of normal articulated semi-trailers.
Ruth Kelly's decision not to allow practical investigation of most LHV's was criticised by the Freight Transport Association
(FTA), but welcomed by the UK's largest railfreight operator English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS). The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
(CILT) believed it would have been better to allow specific trials 'in order to reach an objective conclusion'. The FTA had also previously wanted a number of "responsible" transport companies to be allowed to carry out monitored trials of LHV's at their own expense.
based haulage company Denby Transport announced their intention to challenge the prohibition of LHVs, through the law courts if necessary. On legal advice, Denby had taken the view that, due to its manoeuvrability, and if kept to the present legal maximum weight of 44 tonnes, their Denby Eco-Link
LHV would be legal to use under a loophole
in the present UK laws, namely the 1986 Road Vehicles Construction and Use Regulations. The DfT, maintaining that it was an illegal LHV, conceded that only the courts could definitively rule on the issue. Feeling he had reached an impasse with the DfT, on 1 December the company owner Dick Denby took the Eco-Link for a test drive on the A46
, intending to fight any resulting prohibition order through the courts. Having been notified by Mr Denby beforehand, police stopped the vehicle just outside the gates of Denby's depot, and Mr Denby was ordered to return the vehicle to the depot pending an inspection by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
(VOSA), who were expected to prohibit the vehicle from being used.
Lorry
-Transport:* Lorry or truck, a large motor vehicle* Lorry, or a Mine car in USA: an open gondola with a tipping trough* Lorry , a horse-drawn low-loading trolley-In fiction:...
, is a classification of large goods vehicle
Large Goods Vehicle
A large goods vehicle , is the European Union term for any truck with a gross combination mass of over...
(LGV) (formerly Heavy Goods Vehicles, HGVs) in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. LHVs are not presently allowed to operate on UK roads, being longer and/or heavier than the legal limits, which as of 2009 allowed LGVs up to a maximum of 6 axle
Axle
An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to its surroundings, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle...
s and 44 t (43.3 LT; 48.5 ST) of fully laden vehicle weight, and a maximum overall length of 16.5 metre for articulated lorries
Semi-trailer truck
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
, or 18.75 metre for drawbar
Drawbar (haulage)
A drawbar is a solid coupling between a hauling vehicle and its hauled load. Drawbars are in common use with rail transport, road trailers, both large and small, industrial and recreational, and with agricultural equipment.-Agriculture:...
lorries.
Since the early 2000s, some haulage companies in the UK had been investigating potential LHV designs and lobbying for a change in the law. Various types of LHV exist, and most of the larger types involve using extra axles, and different trailer arrangements, forming so called road train
Road train
A road train or roadtrain is a trucking concept used in remote areas of Argentina, Australia, Mexico, the United States and Canada to move freight efficiently. The term "road train" is most often used in Australia. In the U.S. and Canada the terms "triples," "turnpike doubles" and "Rocky Mountain...
s. LHVs are supported by some hauliers as a way to increase productivity and reduce costs. Their introduction however faces opposition from rail freight, road safety and environmental groups, who want a general reduction in road traffic, and from portions of the general public over general safety and quality of life issues.
In 2005, some companies unsuccessfully applied to the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
(DfT) for permission to be able to trial their prototype vehicles. In November 2006, the DfT launched a desk based study into the potential impact of a multitude of LHV options on the UK road transport sector, and the wider economy and environment in general, looking at options ranging from simply extending existing lengths and weights of articulated and drawbar lorries, up to allowing 11-axle, 34 metre long, 82 t (80.7 LT; 90.4 ST) fully laden weight vehicles. In June 2008, based on the study's conclusions, the legalisation of most types of LHV was postponed indefinitely, due to concerns over the effect on the rail freight sector, and the need for infrastructure and other changes, although a further investigation into the LHV option of extending the length of articulated lorries, to create Longer Semi-Trailers (LSTs), was begun in June 2009.
Despite the 2008 DfT ruling on LHVs, Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
based haulage company Denby Transport, one of the most active proponents of LHVs who had developed their own 25.25 metre long 60 t (59.1 LT; 66.1 ST) Denby Eco-Link
Denby Eco-Link
The Denby Eco-Link, dubbed the super lorry by the mainstream media, is a commercial vehicle designed and built by Denby Transport of the United Kingdom. The Eco-Link is a 60 tonne fully laden, 25.25m long, 8 axle B-Train type of semi-trailer truck, in which a tractor unit pulls two semi-trailers,...
LHV, is attempting to have their vehicle legalised at 44 t (43.3 LT; 48.5 ST), under an existing UK legal loophole dating from 1986.
LGVs (HGVs)
In the UK, cargo carrying vehicles were previously defined, and still commonly known as, HGV's (Heavy Goods Vehicles), although for harmonisation with other European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
member states, this term was officially changed to LGV - Large goods vehicle
Large Goods Vehicle
A large goods vehicle , is the European Union term for any truck with a gross combination mass of over...
. Articulated lorries are the more common configuration of larger LGV in the UK, where a tractor unit
Tractor unit
A tractor unit, prime mover , road tractor, or traction unit is a heavy-duty commercial vehicle within the large goods vehicle category, usually with a large displacement diesel engine, and several axles. The tractor unit serves as a method of moving trailers...
tows a semi-trailer
Semi-trailer
A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported by a road tractor, a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer...
through a fifth wheel coupling
Fifth wheel coupling
The fifth wheel coupling provides the link between a semi-trailer and the towing truck, tractor unit, leading trailer or dolly. Some recreational vehicles use a fifth wheel configuration, requiring the coupling to be installed in the bed of a pickup truck as a towing vehicle...
. The drawbar configuration is a less common example of large LGV, and consists of a rigid lorry with cargo carrying capacity, which also pulls a second cargo trailer, using a drawbar
Drawbar (haulage)
A drawbar is a solid coupling between a hauling vehicle and its hauled load. Drawbars are in common use with rail transport, road trailers, both large and small, industrial and recreational, and with agricultural equipment.-Agriculture:...
link. The UK also allows the use of 18 metre long 'bendy buses'
Articulated buses in the United Kingdom
Articulated buses were rarely used in the United Kingdom compared to other countries, until the turn of the millennium. This was historically due to the UK preference for the double-decker bus for use on high capacity routes. As of June 2006, there were over 500 articulated buses in the UK,...
for public transport. Buses however have their own legal classification, as PSVs (Passenger Service Vehicles).
Weights and dimensions
Since 1992, weight and axles limits for goods carrying lorries in the United Kingdom had increased in stages from 38 t (37.4 LT; 41.9 ST) and 5 axles. As of 2009, vehicles are limited to a maximum of 6 axleAxle
An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to its surroundings, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle...
s, and limited to an overall maximum weight of 44 t (43.3 LT; 48.5 ST) and 16.5 metre in length for articulated lorries
Semi-trailer truck
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or articulated truck or articulated lorry, is an articulated vehicle consisting of a towing engine , and a semi-trailer A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semi, tractor-trailer, or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) articulated truck...
, and 44 t (43.3 LT; 48.5 ST) and 18.75 metre for drawbar lorries. The restriction on overall length is why the majority of UK lorries are hauled by 'cab over
Cab over
Cab-over, also known as COE , cab forward, or forward control, is a body style of truck or van that has a vertical front or "flat face", with the cab of the truck sitting above the front axle...
' tractor units, although for the minority of UK uses where the weight limit is reached before the length limit, conventional truck
Conventional truck
A conventional truck is a type of truck with its engine in front of the driver , as opposed to underneath with no nose like in a cab over. This model is the most popular for American truckers. The design gives the driver more leg room and a smoother ride. These models of semi-trucks hold their...
s are legal.
Longer, heavier vehicles (LHVs) is a classification given to any vehicle that is heavier and/or longer than these legal limits. This can involve basic extensions of the normal articulated or drawbar configuration, or can be achieved with more axles and a more complex configuration, with the largest examples being similar to so called road train
Road train
A road train or roadtrain is a trucking concept used in remote areas of Argentina, Australia, Mexico, the United States and Canada to move freight efficiently. The term "road train" is most often used in Australia. In the U.S. and Canada the terms "triples," "turnpike doubles" and "Rocky Mountain...
s elsewhere in the world.
Turning circle
Whatever configuration of vehicle used, to be legally operated on UK roads, vehicles must adhere to the EU defined articulated vehicle turning circle regulations, which state that any vehicle must be able to navigate a turning circle around a set-point, keeping the whole of the vehicle within a corridor bounded by two circles around that point, with the inner circle having a radius of 5.3 metre, and the outer radius being 12.5 metre. Vehicle turning circles are particularly important in the UK due to the historical existence of many narrow streets, and a high number of roundabouts.European Union law and LHV usage
As of 2009, some types of LHV already operate in the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland, with trials also having occurred in Germany.As of 2009, European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
member countries only have the power to raise the existing EU weight and length limits in their own countries. As of January 2009, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
was considering the conclusions of an European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
(EC) instigated report, which recommended raising limits EU wide to 60 t (59.1 LT; 66.1 ST) and 25.25 metre, for reasons of cost-effectiveness. This would require approval of the EU Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.
Early applications
The issue of the prospect of LHV's, at the time being called 'road-trains' or 'super-lorries', being allowed on Britain's roads came to national attention through the media in September 2005, following an application by hauliers to be allowed to trial longer trucks, and a report on the issue being prepared for the Department of Transport.UK hauliers Dick Denby of Denby Transport and Stan Robinson from Stan Robinson Group were two of the biggest supporters of an LHV trial. Both companies had been developing their own designs, and had been lobbying the government for permission to test them on UK roads. The Robinson Group were developing the Stan Robinson Road Train, an 11 or 12 axle 84 t (82.7 LT; 92.6 ST) combination of two 13.6 metre semi-trailers linked by a trailer dolly
Dolly (trailer)
A dolly is a small trailer that can be coupled to a truck or trailer so as to support a semi-trailer. The dolly is equipped with a fifth wheel to which the semi-trailer is coupled...
. Since around 2002, Denby had been developing the Denby Eco-Link
Denby Eco-Link
The Denby Eco-Link, dubbed the super lorry by the mainstream media, is a commercial vehicle designed and built by Denby Transport of the United Kingdom. The Eco-Link is a 60 tonne fully laden, 25.25m long, 8 axle B-Train type of semi-trailer truck, in which a tractor unit pulls two semi-trailers,...
, an 8 axle, 60 t (59.1 LT; 66.1 ST), 25.25 metre long vehicle with two trailers, known as a B-Double
B-Train
In the simplest terms a B-Train consists of two trailers linked together by a fifth wheel, and are up to 26 m long. The fifth wheel coupling is located at the rear of the lead, or first trailer and is mounted on a "tail" section commonly located immediately above the lead trailer axles...
.
Supported by the Road Haulage Association
Road Haulage Association
The Road Haulage Association Ltd is a UK trade association which represents members of the road haulage industry, together with allied businesses. The RHA has been in continuous existence for more than fifty years...
, the it was proposed that these LHV's would only be used on Motorways to carry cargo between regional distribution centres
Distribution center
A distribution center for a set of products is a warehouse or other specialized building, often with refrigeration or air conditioning, which is stocked with products to be redistributed to retailers, to wholesalers, or directly to consumers. A distribution center is a principal part, the order...
. The application was opposed by Transport 2000
Transport 2000
The Campaign for Better Transport is a UK advocacy group that promotes better bus and rail services and for supportive policies and for less expenditure on road building...
who believed it would eventually lead to the use of such vehicles in towns and villages. In March 2006, Transport minister Stephen Ladyman
Stephen Ladyman
Stephen John Ladyman is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for South Thanet from 1997 until 2010.-Early life:...
refused the Denby and Robinson applications, but also sought the results of further analysis. An application for a 16 metre long trailer was also refused. The use of LHVs only on inter-modal routes was reportedly rejected due to the problems of enforcement of any such restriction.
DfT desk study
In 2006, the DfT initiated a desk based research project into the potential use of LHV's. The study was titled Longer and/or longer and heavier goods vehicles - a study of the effects if they were to be permitted in the UK, and it ran from 3 November 2006 to 3 June 2008. The compilation of the report was contracted to the Transport Research LaboratoryTransport Research Laboratory
TRL is a British transport consultancy and research organisation based at Wokingham Berkshire with approximately 500 staff. TRL is owned by the Transport Research Foundation , which is overseen by 80 sector members from the transport industry. TRL also own small UK regional offices situated in...
, with Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University is a university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The name commemorates George Heriot, the 16th century financier to King James, and James Watt, the great 18th century inventor and engineer....
also involved.
The study looked at seven different scenarios for increased weight and/or length over the current arrangements:
- increasing the maximum articulated lorry length to 18.75 metre, to match drawbar lorries, but with no increase in the maximum vehicle weight of 44 t (43.3 LT; 48.5 ST)
- as above, but increasing the maximum vehicle weight to approximately 46 t (45.3 LT; 50.7 ST) to allow for the same maximum weight of cargo to be carried
- increasing the maximum length of any combination to 25.25 metre, and increasing the allowable number of axles from 6 to 8, but with no increase in the maximum vehicle weight of 44 t (43.3 LT; 48.5 ST)
- as above, but increasing the maximum vehicle weight to approximately 50 t (49.2 LT; 55.1 ST) to allow for the same maximum weight of cargo to be carried
- as above, but increasing the maximum vehicle weight to approximately 60 t (59.1 LT; 66.1 ST) to allow for the maximum weight of cargo to be increased
- increasing the maximum length of any combination to 34 metre, and increasing the allowable number of axles from 6 to 11, and increasing the maximum weight to 63 t (62 LT; 69.4 ST)
- as above, but with a maximum weight to 82 t (80.7 LT; 90.4 ST)
The report had originally been due to be published in October 2007.
During 2007, the prospect of LHV's being approved sparked public debate on 'road trains' for the UK, with the claimed environmental, cost and road safety benefits being contrasted with quality of life issues, and questions of perceived safety risk to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists of LHV's on British roads, with LHV's drawing such descriptions as 'monsters' or 'supertankers of the highway', and drawing comparisons to the "murderous" bendy-buses in London. An increase in the size of lorries was opposed by the rail industry, with the Freight On Rail lobby group saying in 2007 that past increases had only resulted in half empty lorries.
Conclusion
In summary, the study concluded that LHV's could not be operated in the UK without changes to infrastructure, developing dedicated routes, and changing certain speed limits. It concluded that, depending on the industry take-up, LHV usage could lead to a net increase CO2 emissions by effecting a modal shift from rail, although it revealed that LHV's would result in a net reduction of fatalities due to the overall reduction in vehicles on the roads, and would substantially reduce freight transport costs (although capital investment costs had not been accounted for). The report found there could be several benefits to allowing the extension of existing articulated trailer lengths, creating Longer Semi-Trailers (LSTs).On 4 June 2008 based on the DfT report, Transport Minister Ruth Kelly
Ruth Kelly
Ruth Maria Kelly is a British Labour Party politician of Irish descent who was the Member of Parliament for Bolton West from 1997 until she stood down in 2010...
declared that the use of LHV's would not be trialled in the UK, but indicated support for a study into extending the length of normal articulated semi-trailers.
Ruth Kelly's decision not to allow practical investigation of most LHV's was criticised by the Freight Transport Association
Freight Transport Association
The Freight Transport Association traces its roots back to 1889: its mission is to represent the views and interests of over 13,000 companies: from large multinationals and household names to small and medium businesses...
(FTA), but welcomed by the UK's largest railfreight operator English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS). The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport is a professional body representing the transport and logistics industries worldwide...
(CILT) believed it would have been better to allow specific trials 'in order to reach an objective conclusion'. The FTA had also previously wanted a number of "responsible" transport companies to be allowed to carry out monitored trials of LHV's at their own expense.
Longer Semi-Trailers (LSTs) study
As a result of the desk study, in June 2009 the DfT launched another study into the benefits and impact of legalising longer semi-trailers (LSTs), to investigate extending ordinary trailers by up to 2.05 metre. The LST report was not expected to be released until December 2009, and a ministerial decision on changing the regulations would take even longer. That report was being prepared by WSP, MDS Transmodal, TRL, MIRA and Cambridge University among others and would examine safety, industry benefits, CO2 effects and effects on the rail industry. Eddie Stobart was also trialling a 950 mm (37.4 in) longer than standard trailer in 2009.Denby 44 tonne legal challenge
In late 2009, LincolnLincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
based haulage company Denby Transport announced their intention to challenge the prohibition of LHVs, through the law courts if necessary. On legal advice, Denby had taken the view that, due to its manoeuvrability, and if kept to the present legal maximum weight of 44 tonnes, their Denby Eco-Link
Denby Eco-Link
The Denby Eco-Link, dubbed the super lorry by the mainstream media, is a commercial vehicle designed and built by Denby Transport of the United Kingdom. The Eco-Link is a 60 tonne fully laden, 25.25m long, 8 axle B-Train type of semi-trailer truck, in which a tractor unit pulls two semi-trailers,...
LHV would be legal to use under a loophole
Loophole
A loophole is a weakness that allows a system to be circumvented.Loophole may also refer to:*Arrowslit, a slit in a castle wall*Loophole , a short science fiction story by Arthur C...
in the present UK laws, namely the 1986 Road Vehicles Construction and Use Regulations. The DfT, maintaining that it was an illegal LHV, conceded that only the courts could definitively rule on the issue. Feeling he had reached an impasse with the DfT, on 1 December the company owner Dick Denby took the Eco-Link for a test drive on the A46
A46 road
The A46 is an A road in England. It starts east of Bath, Somerset and ends in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, but it does not form a continuous route. Large portions of the old road have been lost, bypassed, or replaced by motorway development...
, intending to fight any resulting prohibition order through the courts. Having been notified by Mr Denby beforehand, police stopped the vehicle just outside the gates of Denby's depot, and Mr Denby was ordered to return the vehicle to the depot pending an inspection by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
Vehicle and Operator Services Agency is a non-departmental public body granted Trading Fund status in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Transport of the United Kingdom Government.-History:...
(VOSA), who were expected to prohibit the vehicle from being used.
Further reading
- ISBN 9781846087196 Longer and/or Longer and Heavier Goods Vehicles (LHVs) - A Study of the Effects if Permitted in the UK - Final Report Transport Research LaboratoryTransport Research LaboratoryTRL is a British transport consultancy and research organisation based at Wokingham Berkshire with approximately 500 staff. TRL is owned by the Transport Research Foundation , which is overseen by 80 sector members from the transport industry. TRL also own small UK regional offices situated in...
Published Project Report 285, 2008-06-03, I Knight, W Newton, Prof A McKinnon et al. - LHV study at Herriot-Watt University