RHA welcomes Department for Transport's announcement on longer semi-trailers

The RHA has welcomed the announcement that longer lorries will be allowed on Britain’s roads.

Lorry trailers up to 15.65m long will be permitted to be used from 31 May under legislation being laid in Parliament today (Wednesday 10 May).

This follows an 11-year trial of longer semi-trailers (LSTs).

The RHA said: “We welcome these new laws to permit longer semi-trailers. We’ve supported these trials and this change will increase productivity, reduce HGV journeys by carrying the same volume of freight in fewer lorries – and reduce mileage, congestion and carbon emissions. We look forward to seeing the impact of these changes on vehicle fleets.

“The Government could however go further by increasing the permitted weight to 48 tonnes for moving goods from road to rail. This will be increasingly important when we roll out zero-emission trucks to compensate for the increased weight from batteries.”

The longer lorries will be able to transport fast-moving consumer goods and retail products, as well as waste packaging, parcels and pallets, ministers said.

The new lorries will move the same volume of goods using 8% fewer journeys than current trailers – generating an expected £1.4 billion in economic benefits and taking one standard-size trailer off the road for every 12 trips.