Biglorryblog has been contacted by two of his regular 'Cloggie Chums' Niels Jansen and Iep van der Meer who bring BLB the latest news on the Longer Heavier Vehicle (LHV) front from Holland--and it's good news too. Niels tells me "Hi Brian, maybe this is of interest to readers of BLB. Where your Government recently announced that 'supertrucks' of 25.25m will not be allowed on British roads, the Dutch Minister of Transport has lifted the maximum GCW for LHV's again to 60 tonnes as of immediately!"
Niels goes on: "There had been a ban on top weight LHV's from November 2007 after some bridges in
Meanwhile click through here for more on the subject from Iep.
And here's Iep's two-pennorth! He also confirms that: "Here's some important news from the Dutch. As you know we are running 25.25m combinations under strict rules. Special driver's licences, extra safety features, special routes and so on. At first the trucks were going to be allowed to be run at 60-tonnes but last year they were restricted to 50-tonnes. That meant half of the combinations were useless and that started a big lobby of the transport organisations to the gouvernment. With success, because they have released the news that it's going to be 60-tonnes again! That means 30% more goods with 30% less polution and congestion! 
So if the Dutch can come to a sensible conclusion on LHV trials why can't we? Indeed, it only goes to show that when you DO look closely LHVs have something positive to offer. Pity Ruth Kelly has already closed her mind to them for this country. But then she's clearly more worried about her back-benchers than testing them to see if they can cut pollution and congestion in the UK. Heaven forbid, trials might actually prove that LHVs can do what we think they can do...and then where would Ms Ruth and the anti-lorry lobby be then?
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