60 tonne, 25 metre double-artics

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Tue 21 Jun 2005 22:23
60 tonne, 25 metre double-artics - Sofa Spud
There is some pressure from within the road transport industry to introduce 60 tonne MPW, 25.25 metre long double-articulated lorries in the UK

See:

www.tnn.co.uk/IndustryNews/plonearticle.2005-06-08...9

Such vehicles are used in Scandinavia and are being trialled in the Netherlands. Doubles are commonplace in North America and elsewhere.

I would think such vehicles would be a good idea but should be strictly limited to the motorway and trunk dual-carriageway network. A network of depots adjacent to these routes would be necessary, so that these doubles could be split for travel on other roads.

When a large goods vehicle is travelling at 56 mph, a considerable proportion of its energy consumption goes in pushing it through the air. These longer vehicles would have the same frontal shape so the second trailer would travel virtually free, aerodynamically speaking.

I don't think anyone is suggesting these doubles should be allowed on normal single-carriageway roads. Overtaking them would be hazardous because of the extra length, for one thing.

Predictably, Transport 2000 is running a scare story about monster lorries clogging our city streets and country lanes without examining the facts.

Cheers, Sofa Spud
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Wed 22 Jun 2005 11:23
60 tonne, 25 metre double-artics - Big Bad Dave
"60 tonne, 25 metre double-artics"

If I ever move back to London, I?m gonna buy one of these to take the kids to school.
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Wed 22 Jun 2005 12:23
60 tonne, 25 metre double-artics - henry k
see previous thread
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=30701
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