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'Countryside Matters!'
'Burning Issues'

Road Transport

Heavy Goods vehicles
Major roadworks are a pain! Over a period of six months (during 2005) all the main roads in and through our county of Devon were affected. Repair work to damage on the A38 dual-carrigeway round the bottom edge of Dartmoor caused delays of up to 3/4 of an hour at peak times. The problem seemed to have been caused by the pounding of the driving wheels of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs). Over the years we have been re-assured that the best way to avoid pollution is to increase the load capacity of lorries. However, in the light of experience maybe the 'powers that be' i.e. the department of transport, should re-assess its policy.
Has anyone done costing for damage to road infrastructure by larger HGVs? The M5 into Devon has ruts in it like a farm track - especially up the hills.
I would question the science which has produced the following statement from the Department for Transport:-
" The 44 tonne, six axle vehicles will cause less road wear than the 40 tonne, 5 axle vehicles already on our roads. Road wear is determined by axle weights, not gross vehicle weight. By specifying 6 axles, not 5, a maximum axle weight of 10.5 tonnes, not 11.5 tonnes and road friendly suspension, these vehicles will cause less ground vibration and be less prone to overloading."
The idea of putting in more axles on HGVs does not reduce the traction 'footprint' of the driving wheels. Try pulling a loaded hand cart up a beach in soft sand - even if it has balloon tyres. The heavier the load the deeper the footprint! There is also the problem of damage to minor roads and traffic jams, especially in an area like Devon during the tourist season, where 6 axle HGVs try to deliver down restricted access roads. I know my way through field gateways, across the field and out the other side, leaving them to sort themselves out!
It would be interesting to know the supposed savings in CO2 emissions over against those created by road repairs, although I would guess that the cost in environmental damage of replacing / resurfacing a Motorway or Trunk road will be high!
One way forward could be a re-grading of all roads in the U.K. A number of so called 'A' roads are certainly unsuitable for 6 axle 44 tonne lorries. Severe and dangerous road damage, on the Fosse Way (B4455) for example, could be avoided by limiting the HGV size permitted to use all 'B class' roads. There are already a number of re-distribution centres at major motorway junctions. Further development of these, along with the increase, previousy neglected, in the use of rail freight would go a long way towards solving the environmental degredation which increases with every increase in HGV weights.

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	'Countryside Matters!' 'Burning Issues'
	Road Transport
	Heavy Goods vehicles Major roadworks are a pain! Over a period of six months (during 2005) all the main roads in and through our county of Devon were affected. Repair work to damage on the A38 dual-carrigeway round the bottom edge of Dartmoor caused delays of up to 3/4 of an hour at peak times. The problem seemed to have been caused by the pounding of the driving wheels of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs). Over the years we have been re-assured that the best way to avoid pollution is to increase the load capacity of lorries. However, in the light of experience maybe the 'powers that be' i.e. the department of transport, should re-assess its policy. Has anyone done costing for damage to road infrastructure by larger HGVs? The M5 into Devon has ruts in it like a farm track - especially up the hills. I would question the science which has produced the following statement from the Department for Transport:- " The 44 tonne, six axle vehicles will cause less road wear than the 40 tonne, 5 axle vehicles already on our roads. Road wear is determined by axle weights, not gross vehicle weight. By specifying 6 axles, not 5, a maximum axle weight of 10.5 tonnes, not 11.5 tonnes and road friendly suspension, these vehicles will cause less ground vibration and be less prone to overloading." The idea of putting in more axles on HGVs does not reduce the traction 'footprint' of the driving wheels. Try pulling a loaded hand cart up a beach in soft sand - even if it has balloon tyres. The heavier the load the deeper the footprint! There is also the problem of damage to minor roads and traffic jams, especially in an area like Devon during the tourist season, where 6 axle HGVs try to deliver down restricted access roads. I know my way through field gateways, across the field and out the other side, leaving them to sort themselves out! It would be interesting to know the supposed savings in CO2 emissions over against those created by road repairs, although I would guess that the cost in environmental damage of replacing / resurfacing a Motorway or Trunk road will be high! One way forward could be a re-grading of all roads in the U.K. A number of so called 'A' roads are certainly unsuitable for 6 axle 44 tonne lorries. Severe and dangerous road damage, on the Fosse Way (B4455) for example, could be avoided by limiting the HGV size permitted to use all 'B class' roads. There are already a number of re-distribution centres at major motorway junctions. Further development of these, along with the increase, previousy neglected, in the use of rail freight would go a long way towards solving the environmental degredation which increases with every increase in HGV weights.
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Homepage	© Countryside Matters! 2006	Top

'Countryside Matters!''Burning Issues'

Road Transport

Heavy Goods vehicles

'Countryside Matters!'
'Burning Issues'