Vehicles: Lorry Semi-trailers

House of Lords written question – answered at on 20 July 2011.

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Photo of Lord Berkeley Lord Berkeley Labour

To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have received from the European Commission about their proposal for permitting longer semi-trailers of up to 2.05 metres on British roads and whether such a proposal would be consistent with European Union directive 96/53/EC.

Photo of Earl Attlee Earl Attlee Lords Spokesperson (Department for Transport), Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Since the previous Question on this subject from the noble Lord, officials have received a letter dated 30 June from the Commission. The letter confirmed that directive 96/53/EC permits longer semi-trailers only if the criteria for one of the exemptions set out in Article 4.4 are fulfilled. The Government's view, previously communicated to the Commission, is that our proposals for longer semi-trailers fulfil the criteria for exemption in Article 4.4 (b), because their loading length (15.65 metres) can also be achieved by existing rigid/drawbar combinations. The Commission's letter did not address this point.

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