The industry could take around 10% of trucks off the road if longer trailers were allowed, a top haulage boss told senior civil servants this week. Andrew Tinkler, chief executive of Stobart Group, was meeting advisers to Gordon Brown as MT went to press.
Tinkler says that his main message to the civil servants will be the potential efficiency and environmental gains through the use of trailers one-metre longer with a rear steering axle so that it maintains the turning circle of existing
designs.
He insists he is not calling for a weight increase, simply a solution to operators cubing-out before they weigh-out. Tinkler claims that this would enable Stobart to increase load fill on roll cages by 13% and on pallets by 7%.
He also says that if road charging is introduced, the government should look at ways of incentivising firms that consistently fill their vehicles. Rail freight will also be discussed: "We are keen to let [Brown] know what a train can do if we get the slots."
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