How long are lorries

The first of a new type of extra-long lorry has taken to the UK's roads. Last week the Government gave the go-ahead for a trial of longer commercial vehicles - up to The first of the longer trucks, operated by haulage company Wincanton based in Chippenham, was unveiled in Gloucester. The firm, which is the largest UK-owned logistics company, was consulted by the Department for Transport DfT about whether to allow longer trucks onto the UK road network.

Lorry makers are lobbying very hard to postpone and weaken the Commission proposal. They downplay the potential of redesign and have agreed new designs should be prohibited until Their main problem with the proposal is that it could upset the market. Manufacturers are doing what they can to stop the changes from entering into force any time soon. Other lorry makers are keen on the extra space but fiercely oppose fulfilling any additional requirements to get the design flexibility.

The European Parliament voted the Commission proposal through on 15 April with a huge majority, but EU governments are less enthusiastic. They seem to be taking the line of the lorry makers that the design flexibility should not be granted any time soon and that when it is granted there should not be a link to safety improvements.

Negotiations between the Brussels institutions are likely to start after the summer and may drag on until early depending on how quickly an agreement is reached. The lorry dimensions saga holds two important lessons. On the one hand it is an exciting prospect and a great example of the synergies that can exist between the interests of business, the environment and society as a whole.

Fixing the dimensions law and redesigning lorry cabs is a step in the right direction and one that will hopefully kick start a virtuous cycle of innovation and progress in the sector. But on the other hand it also demonstrates that this kind of progress cannot be taken for granted.

Lorry makers have their concerns. At that point, they will be sold on, either to another business for a low cost or for breaking or scrap. This fuels the market for new lorries, and it is good news for M. Truck Parts, since our business is selling used and new truck parts. Overall then and to summarise this article, a lorry usually will stay in service if it makes economic sense for it to do so.

These maiden Brexit disruptions offer a glimpse of the potential for delays when traffic levels at Dover and Calais return to normal levels at the end of this month. It already operates an array of controls and checks on those travelling the other way, including safety checks using sniffer dogs. On the other side of the channel, the UK has delayed the imposition of Brexit checks for six months: some of the lorry parks are not ready, nor is business, as the Brexit deal was only sealed on Christmas Eve.

It has put in place mitigation measures to avert a repeat of the mayhem on Kent roads before Christmas. One of those is the Michael Gove-inspired Kent Access Permit KAP — being called the Brexit passport — which is issued electronically to trucks whose suppliers have to testify they have all their paperwork for the Channel crossing in order.