FREIGHT ON RAIL CAMPAIGN

Freight campaign success - 9 Dec 2005

THE government has refused to allow 60-tonne and 84-tonne lorries on to British roads.



The campaign against bigger trucks was strongly supported by ASLEF and has formed part of our campaign to get more freight off roads and on to railways.



Transport minister Stephen Ladyman announced the decision in a written parliament answer and the news was immediately welcomed by ASLEF general secretary Keith Norman. “The 60-tonne trucks would have been the length of a competition swimming pool and would have been totally unsuitable for British roads,” said Keith.



“Of course, the 80-tonners would have been even worse – something like twice the length of the current largest lorries on our roads, which weigh 44 tonnes. I am very happy with this decision and Stephen Ladyman and the Labour government are to be congratulated for resisting the pressure from the roads lobby and listening to the common sense of trade unions, environmental campaigners and the majority of the British people.”



An NOP poll, commissioned earlier this year by ASLEF, revealed that 67 per cent of those questioned were opposed to the larger lorries.



The rejection of monster trucks has always formed part of the freight on rail campaign and one of the key demands made of the government by ASLEF. The continental lorries would have caused damage to roads, increased pollution and constituted a danger on smaller roads .