http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4235338.stm Quote:
Road trains proposed for Britain
Super lorries weighing up to 60 tons could be operating on Britain's roads under a proposal being considered by the Government.
An application for the "road trains" has been submitted to the Department of Transport by company Denby Transport.
The scheme has received support from the Road Haulage Association (RHA) which believes road trains make commercial and environmental sense.
The current limit for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) is 44 tons.
But environmental group Transport 2000, which has called for more freight to be taken by rail, said road trains would eventually drive through villages and town centres.
Industry efficiency
Denby Transport has submitted an application for the 60 ton Denby Eco Link lorry, which is divided into two trailers and is 83ft long. The maximum for HGVs at present is 62ft.
A report on the scheme is also being drawn up for Transport Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman.
The RHA said the lorry would only travel on motorways between regional distribution centres.
"There are 428,000 trucks registered and if we could reduce that number to have one truck for every two - we're all for it.
"The whole industry wants to run efficiently, it would make commercial and environmental sense," a spokesman said.
Stephen Joseph, director of Transport 2000, said road trains "have no place on Britain's country lanes and town centres".
"Although the application has said they will be confined to motorways between distribution depots we've heard this before about lorries," he said.
"In practice we've ended up with very large juggernauts going down country lanes and roads built for a horse and cart.
"The public want to see more freight by rail, not on the roads."
A Department of Transport spokesman said Dr Ladyman would be considering the application, but there was no deadline for making a decision.
I know these Denby artics have come up in discussion before, but it cetainly seems from this that we're a bit closer to them being on the roads. Personally I'm not fussed either way, but I'm more than a little sceptical of the usual T2000 hysteria. Is it even feasible to attempt to take one of these through the narrower villages and country lanes? You can hardly park up to cut down a hedge or ask someone to move their house. Is there a serious reason to disbelieve the RHA and other supporters when they say these vehicles will be sticking to the main routes and motorways?
And just because I can't resist it [cod Crocodile Dundee impersonation] That's not a road train...
this is a road train![/Dundee impersonation]
Aussies....
but almost worth trying here just to see T2000 apoplectic with rage.
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And by the same reasoning my arse must be in politics. I think using the term road train says more about the journo/whoever than it does about the Denby.