Taking a longer view
June 1st 2011 Paul Sanders, chairman of the Association of Pallet Networks, reckons the impact of
the consultation on longer trailers, even if passed, could have a limited impact on the
industry
The Government consultation on longer trailers closes
on 21 June. It could increase the length of trailers by
2.05m up to 18.75m.While this opens up the
possibility of increased benefits in terms of loads moved,
there have been concerns that greater accidents could occur.
Simon Duddy, editor of Handling & Storage Solutions,
spoke to Paul Sanders, chairman of the Association of Pallet
Networks, to get his view on the consultation.
Simon Duddy: Is the proposal to lengthen trailers likely to
reduce the number of lorries on the road?
Paul Sanders: The proposal will offer substantial benefits to
bulk movers of non-maximum weight loads. In some cases,
this will allow marginally more products to be carried per
trailerload, which over a large number of loads will obviously
slightly reduce lorries on the road. But trailers moving this
type of load are a very small proportion of the overall
market.
SD: Is there any point lengthening trailers if maximum
permitted weight is not also increased?
PS: The increase in size will only really benefit nonmaximum
weight loads. For a much larger part of the sector
to benefit, yes, increasing the weight would achieve this.
However, there are caveats. First, it will only work if clients
are prepared to pay for the extra weight being moved.
Obviously extra weigh being carried does not come for free,
it will impact on fuel economy and wear on the prime
moving unit. So perhaps the benefit of extra weight is
questionable in the general sector.
SD: Which sectors of the industry could stand to gain from
this legislation, if passed?
PS: When asking our members about the consultation, we've
had a mixed reaction.While some say it will benefit
operations in the long term, there are as many others that see
little or no benefit.
I feel pallet networks do stand to benefit with exit deck
space on the night trucking double deckers. These are very
rarely on maximum weight and will potentially enable up to
an extra eight pallets being moved each evening on each
trailer.
For depots that are trunking multiple trailer numbers this
will have a positive effect by possibly reducing the amount of
trunk vehicles they need each evening. This will also benefit
the parcel trunking market. Of course, this only applies if the
legislation permits lorries to remain at the current maximum
height of 4.875m.
The arguably more important issue is the potential
reduction in maximum trailer height to 4m to fit in with
proposed European legislation. This would have drastic
effects on the UK haulage sector as many are operating
trailers well in excess of this with double deckers running at
4.875m and traditional trailers at 4.2m. There is no merit to
the case for reducing the height of trailers in the UK, just
because other European countries built their bridges 4m
high. It will not be good news for anyone running trucks in
the UK if Brussels agrees this.
SD: Does the proposal have safety implications?
PS: One of the main safety issues is maneuverability and of
course, should these longer trailers come in, there will be
driver training to carry out. New active steer technology
would enable LSTs to perform to current standards but the
technology will not be available for another 18 months. This
may be a highly significant point and it is referred to
repeatedly in the executive summary of the consultation
document. This is thought to refer to electronic steer
technology being pioneered
by Cambridge University. More articles from Palletline Plc: | 
