How Has Haulage Helped Boost The UK Economy?
New longer UK haulage lorries are expected to bring more than £1.4 billion in additional revenue to the UK economy. The new longer semi-trailers which can be used for container haulage will save more than 70,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. As such, as well as boosting profitability, the change will also help make Britain a greener place.
The change is part of larger government plans that are designed to both grow the economy and reduce overall carbon emissions as much as possible. The net benefits were included in an LST consultation impact assessment.
Are Longer Lorries Legal In The UK?
Longer lorries are now legal in the UK. New laws have been introduced which permit longer semi-trailer combinations of up to 18.55 metres for road freight transport. These are far longer than the standard lorries that road users may be accustomed to seeing on motorways and dual carriageways in Great Britain. Overall, lorries more than 2.05 metres longer than the standard size are now legal for use. The legislation was announced on the 10th May 2023 with the first vehicles rolled out on the 31st.
How Has Haulage Helped The Economy?
Longer lorries are expected to bring more than £1.4 billion to the UK’s economy. This is a massive boost in revenue that will help increase productivity and make the roads a greener place with more fuel efficiency. The lorries are able to carry the same volume of goods. However, they will make 8% fewer journeys compared to the previous trailers utilised by UK haulage companies.
The change on the roads follows 33 other unprecedented government measures that have been introduced to support the UK haulage industry as well as supply chains. They are intended to level up the transport services and spur economic growth when it is needed the most.
Are Longer Lorries Safer?
Long lorries may provide safety benefits for all road users. The lorries have been legalised after an 11 year old trial that was used to ensure the new lorries were safe for UK road environments and challenges. The lorries are likely to cause far less wear and tear on the roads, ensuring that roads including motorways across the UK will remain in the right condition. Operators are also legally required to ensure that route plans are safe for longer lorries that the risk have been carefully considered. All drivers behind the wheels of these lorries will also be required to complete additional driver training to ensure that they know how to handle these vehicles safely.
More than 300 companies across the UK have already begun using these longer lorries with an estimated 3000 out on the roads.
If you are looking to transport your goods safely and efficiently, get in touch with our team who will be happy to help.