Study by TRL on the effects of permitting mega trucks

The British Transport Research Laboratory is an independent consultancy and research institute that specialises in the transport sector. In June 2008, TRL published a report which it had prepared for the British Department for Transport entitled: 'Longer and/or Heavier Goods Vehicles (LHVs) – a Study of the Likely Effects if Permitted in the UK'.

The study looks at the effects of Gigaliners on traffic safety, infrastructure, modal shift as well as the likely costs to the public finances. The study confirms conclusions reached by earlier research carried out in other European countries. Mega trucks are a traffic risk, they will shift transport onto the roads and they will cost the taxpayers billions.

• Before LHVs could be introduced, new parking facilities would need to be built and existing ones modified. Apart from costing billions, the experts at TRL expect problems with planning permission and land availability.

• Research in the loading capacity of bridges has should that particularly heavy Gigaliners could overload them. New risks also arise when vehicles with a weight in excess of 44 tonnes collide with bridge supports.

• The study confirmed the negative effects of longer vehicles on traffic flow. Manoeuvres such as turning off or into a road would take longer than for normal heavy goods vehicles. Traffic light phasing may require changing, resulting in lower capacity and allowing in considerably fewer vehicles to pass junctions than before.

• An increasing number of accident casualties is to be expected for most of the LHV types that were looked at. This included the 25.25 metre long, 82 tonne vehicle that is already being discussed in the UK.

• Permitting LHVs would lead to a modal shift from the environmentally friendly railways to the roads, above all in the combined transport and container transport sectors.

• British road hauliers are divided on the issue of LHVs. Smaller transport companies in particular expect disadvantages to result from the introduction of LHVs.