Superlorry 2 1/2 buses long

Capt'n Midnight

A Dublinbus bus is 10 m, this is two and a half times as long.

First it was higher trucks ( blowing over in high winds, port tunnel and all that ) now it's longer ones, the main difference between it and aussie road trains is that the wheels in the middle section steer so it isn't as bad on corners.

Is it worth trying to get these things pre-empitively banned ?

The main reason these things exist is excess packaging

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lincolnshire/8388420.stm

A 25.25m (83ft) long so-called superlorry has been blocked from being driven on public roads by police in Lincolnshire.
...

By comparison, a normal articulated lorry is 16.5m (54ft) long and a "bendy-bus" is 18m (59ft).

Legal questions

The lorry's owner, Denby Transport, wants to bring it to Britain's roads because it says that for lightweight goods such as cereals and aluminium cans, conventional lorries run out of space before they run out of weight.

The new lorry would be able to take more of these goods, even though it would still have to respect the UK weight limit of 44 tonnes.

The company has been working on the project for nearly eight years.

Denby's lawyers said it complies with all the current regulations.

The government disagrees, saying it is illegal and that it will not be allowing longer vehicles on the roads for the foreseeable future.

Dick Denby, from Denby Transport, said: "We're trying to clarify and test the law - we're not trying to flout it.

"If the law decides they are illegal we'll pull it off the roads. If the law decides they are quite legal, everyone who wants one can have one."

Bunnyhopper

I don't think I'd fancy being anywhere near one of those on a bike. It's not as if we're a massive country, so you'd wonder what the usefulness of them would be. Mind you, the government has pretty much gutted the rail freight business, so you never know...

It might be worth contacting the Dept to express concern, see what the situation is, etc.

Victor

The lorry's owner, Denby Transport, wants to bring it to Britain's roads because it says that for lightweight goods such as cereals and aluminium cans, conventional lorries run out of space before they run out of weight.

Then carry mixed loads, e.g. cereal an orange juice.

blorg

I don't think it would be allowed under Irish law- not sure if this is still current:

S.I. No. 404/1997:

ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND USE OF VEHICLES) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1997

The Regulations apply to buses and certain vehicles/trailers in both international and domestic traffic and provide for an increase in allowable width from 2.50m to 2.55m. Certain conditioned vehicles and trailers will be permitted to operate at a width of 2.60m. In the case of refrigerated vehicles the Regulations provide (in accordance with the Directive) that such vehicles first registered on or before 31 December, 1997 may operate at 2.60m until 31 December, 2006. The Regulations also provides for an increase in the permitted maximum length of truck and trailer combinations from 18.35m to 18.75m.

There must be some study done on the maximum length of a vehicle and the ability to see traffic adequately behind you in mirrors.

Jawgap

Might be worth noting that this legislation gives effect to an EU directive- Directive 96/53/EC(1) laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic.

If the EU decides to change the law it might be academic what DoT here thinks.

For once, I'm glad we've such a rubbish road infra-structure in this country!!

Ryaner

blorg wrote: »

I don't think it would be allowed under Irish law- not sure if this is still current:

S.I. No. 404/1997:

ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND USE OF VEHICLES) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1997

This is correct. All the super lorries were banned from Irish roads a when the port tunnel was started as they didn't fit

tomasrojo

Ryaner wrote: »

This is correct. All the super lorries were banned from Irish roads a when the port tunnel was started as they didn't fit

And good riddance to them.

thebouldwhacker

Is this not just a lorry with a trailer... forestry's use them, cattle traders use them, fosets circus use them.... dogs driving cars, now thats something that should be banned...

Capt'n Midnight

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Is this not just a lorry with a trailer... forestry's use them, cattle traders use them, fosets circus use them.... dogs driving cars, now thats something that should be banned...

It's a lorry with TWO trailers

most of the others you are talking about are a roughly speeking equilivant to a rigid with a twenty foot container and a another twenty foot container as the trailer, circuses then stick a caravan at the end ( what is the legallity on that ?) this truck looks like a 30 foot container and a 40 foot container

the other difference is that apart from the caravans the others have only one articulation

AFAIAA the use of closed circuit TV is banned , and mirrors just won't cover the back of the truck.



On a side note, it's well understood that trucks cause far more wear and tear to roads than cars , it's more expensive to build roads (and port tunnels) to cater for larger trucks , so a fairer system would be to increase road tax on larger trucks / require a special permit to operate in this country , At present the haulage industry is heavily subsidised in this regard , even if you don't take into account the 10 fold increase in bridge strikes in recent years.

Victor

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

most of the others you are talking about are a roughly speeking equilivant to a rigid with a twenty foot container and a another twenty foot container as the trailer, circuses then stick a caravan at the end ( what is the legallity on that ?)

I think there is some special exemption, but they are limited to a low speed.