Cycling lane budget used for Gigaliners

8 Sep 2008. Companies involved in trials of mega trucks are demanding alterations to the road network to accomodate LHVs, even before trials begin in Denmark. The road construction works will be paid for out of a budget that was originally intended for cycling lanes.

As the Danish newspaper „Jydske Vestkysten” reported in its issue of August 18, companies from Padborg have been given the allowance to drive the trial LHVs directly to their company locations, which avoids having to reload onto normal sized trucks. Since the longer vehicles need more space for turning than conventional HGVs, junctions in Padborg's commercial park have to be altered in order to accommodate the mega trucks. One particularly delicate detail: the reconstruction works will be financed with money originally designated for building cycle lanes.

Even this small example from the Padborg region shows that trying to limit LHV deployment to just a few routes will not be successful in the long-term. The trials will in effect help to establish mega trucks as an irrevocable fact.

The Danish trials of the 'modulvogntog', as LHVs are known in Denmark, are due to begin in November and last for three years. The trials will involve 1 000 trucks.

More on the Gigaliner trials in Denmark: