
Longer lorries are to be permitted on British roads as part of efforts to cut the environmental impact of road emissions and support supply chains, in a move estimated to boost the economy by £1.4 billion.
Legislation was laid on 10th May to safely roll out lorry trailers up to 2.05 metres longer than the standard from 31st May. The larger vehicles will be able to transport the same volume of goods using 8% fewer journeys, removing the equivalent on 1 in 12 standard lorry trailers from the roads. The change in regulation to allow Longer Semi-Trailers (LST) on roads in England, Wales and Scotland could also save 70,000 tonnes of CO2 over the next 11 years, according to the Department for Transport’s estimates.
The move follows an 11-year trial to ensure LSTs are used safely, and operators will be encouraged to put extra safety checks and training in place, as well as ensure appropriate route plans are in place to account for the larger trailers. Vehicles will still be subject to the same 44 tonne weight limit as standard trailers.
Roads Minister Richard Holden said:
“A strong, resilient supply chain is key to the Government’s efforts to grow the economy. That’s why we’re introducing longer semi-trailers to carry more goods in fewer journeys and ensure our shops, supermarkets and hospitals are always well stocked.
“These new vehicles will provide an almost £1.4 billion boost to the haulage industry, reduce congestion, lower emissions and enhance the safety of UK roads.”
Brands including Greggs, Morrisons, Stobart, Royal Mail, and Argos, will be rolling out the longer lorries with 3,000 LSTs already on the road as part of the trial. Gavin Kirk, Supply Chain Director at Greggs, commented:
“We welcome the introduction of Longer Semi-Trailers (LSTs) into general use. Since 2013, Greggs has been operating LSTs from our National Distribution Centre in Newcastle. We were early adopters of the trial as we saw a significant efficiency benefits from the additional 15% capacity that they afforded us.
“We have converted 20% of our trailer fleet to LSTs, which was the maximum allowable under the trial, and these complement our fleet of double-deck trailers. Our drivers undertook additional training to use these trailers and we have monitored accidents, finding that they are as safe as our standard fleet.
“Due to the increased capacity, we have reduced our annual km travelled by 540,000, and saved 410 tonnes of carbon per year from LSTs, which supports our wider ESG agenda, The Greggs Pledge.”