None - HGV's in 3rd lane

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 11:03
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - davecooper

Why are HGV's allowed in the 3rd lane of a four lane motorway? Once HGV start going three abreast, four lanes become pointless. Lorries overtaking in lane 2 are bad enough but lane 3?

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 12:11
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - Andrew-T

Have to assume HGVs are allowed in all lanes except the fastest ? There should always be a path past a rolling roadblock, tho drivers may have to wait their turn.

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 14:14
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - RT

Vehicles over 7.5 tonnes and vehicles towing trailers are banned from the outside lane of motorways with 3 or more running lanes - lane-drops signed for junctions aren't counted and the restriction doesn't apply to 2 lane motorways or dual carriageway A/B roads with any number of lanes.

While most HGVs have limiters set to 56 mph, the speed limit for HGVs is 60 mph on motorways - some HGVs have no limiter so can legally do 60, most are limited to 56, some are limited by their operator to 45 or 50 for economy reasons.

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 14:42
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - davecooper

Yes, I am aware that these vehicles are allowed to use the inside 3 lanes but surely four lanes are provided where there is a higher traffic density to allow better traffic flow. If there is a three lane rolling HGV roadblock, why bother.

Driving north from London yesterday, we encountered a five mile long stretch of triple stacked lorries. Unless you could find a way into the outside lane, everyone was doing 55mph! That's really improving traffic flow.

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 15:27
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - RT

Yes, I am aware that these vehicles are allowed to use the inside 3 lanes but surely four lanes are provided where there is a higher traffic density to allow better traffic flow. If there is a three lane rolling HGV roadblock, why bother.

Driving north from London yesterday, we encountered a five mile long stretch of triple stacked lorries. Unless you could find a way into the outside lane, everyone was doing 55mph! That's really improving traffic flow.

If we removed the need for 56 mph limiters, that would get rid of the "elephant racing"

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 15:55
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - Terry W

Change the rules for all traffic over 7.5 tonnes from:

- leave the outside lane clear on motorways with 3 or more lanes, to

- can only use the 2 inside lanes

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 16:04
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - badbusdriver

Driving north from London yesterday, we encountered a five mile long stretch of triple stacked lorries. Unless you could find a way into the outside lane, everyone was doing 55mph! That's really improving traffic flow.

Driving for 5 miles at 55mph takes just over a minute longer than it would at 70mph.

Also, I'm pretty sure it has been proven (certainly in heavier traffic conditions) driving slower actually leads to a shorter overall journey time. Because there is much less of the "stop start" resulting from one person braking hard (probably through inattention and/or excess speed) causing an exaggerated ripple effect radiating backwards resulting in traffic behind actually coming to a stop.

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 16:53
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - davecooper

Yes, I fully agree that slower traffic can flow better as proven by variable speed limits. However the problems occur when lorries are constantly switching lanes, often without warning. You can actually end up in a lorry "prison" being hemmed in on three sides which isn't particularly comfortable.

As has been said many times, lorries creeping past others is bad enough on a three lane road, lorries doing the same three abreast just seems stupid. Obviously the price we have to pay for our consumer habits.

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 20:07
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - corax

As has been said many times, lorries creeping past others is bad enough on a three lane road, lorries doing the same three abreast just seems stupid. Obviously the price we have to pay for our consumer habits.

And the price drivers have to pay for laws put into place to stop lorries being able to overtake each other quickly.

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 16:56
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - RT

Driving north from London yesterday, we encountered a five mile long stretch of triple stacked lorries. Unless you could find a way into the outside lane, everyone was doing 55mph! That's really improving traffic flow.

Driving for 5 miles at 55mph takes just over a minute longer than it would at 70mph.

Also, I'm pretty sure it has been proven (certainly in heavier traffic conditions) driving slower actually leads to a shorter overall journey time. Because there is much less of the "stop start" resulting from one person braking hard (probably through inattention and/or excess speed) causing an exaggerated ripple effect radiating backwards resulting in traffic behind actually coming to a stop.

Exactly - the variable speed limits are used on smart motorways to increase the average speed - which is higher under a 50 limit than 70 when it's congested.

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 17:28
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - Andrew-T

<< Driving for 5 miles at 55mph takes just over a minute longer than it would at 70mph. >>

And presumably uses quite a bit less fuel ?

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 18:05
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - badbusdriver

<< Driving for 5 miles at 55mph takes just over a minute longer than it would at 70mph. >>

And presumably uses quite a bit less fuel ?

Absolutely, but I didn't mention it as I assumed the OP was more concerned about the time lost.

Having been in similar situations while driving a bus, that is to say being held up by slower traffic (invariably when already late!), I know it feels like the time lost is huge, but in reality was rarely more than a few minutes, even if stuck behind a tractor!

But going back to the efficiency, the AA reckon an average car will be 9% less efficient at 70mph than at 60mph and 15% less than at 50mph, so around 12-13% difference at 55mph sounds about right. They (the AA) also reckon that driving at 80mph results in 25% less efficiency than at 70mph!

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Tue 4 Mar 2025 18:40
None - HGV's in 3rd lane - gordonbennet

Doesn't apply to me so not getting involved in this one,

other than to say the chances of a third lane hogger on a 3 lane motorway wearing a hoodie is high, higher still if that 3rd lane is 6'6" width limit narrow lane during roadworks.

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