Large Goods Vehicles
9th September 2011
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the (a) public health, (b) safety and (c) environmental effects of increasing the length of lorries; and if he will make a statement.
Mike Penning: The public health, safety and environmental effects of increasing the length of lorries were set out in the Impact Assessment and supporting research published alongside the consultation document. Further evidence provided in responses to the consultation is being reviewed.
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent consultations he has undertaken to ensure that his Department's proposals for longer lorries takes account of the views of (a) cyclists, (b) motoring organisations, (c) local government and (d) the rail industry; and if he will make a statement.
Mike Penning: The Government's consultation on whether to allow an increase in the length of articulated lorries was widely circulated to interested parties including cycling bodies, motoring organisations, local government bodies (the Local Government Association and the and Welsh Local Government Association) and the Rail Freight Group and rail freight operators.
In support of the consultation, the Department also offered to meet key bodies potentially affected by the proposals. Invitations were sent to the Freight Transport Association (FTA), the Road Haulage Association (RHA), the Rail Freight Group, Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT), Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), Road Safety GB, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), the AA, Campaign for Better Transport, Freight on Rail, SUSTRANS, CTC, Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, Friends of the Earth, the London Cycling Campaign (LCC), British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF), and Motorcycle Action Group UK (MAG).
The following organisations accepted the offer and met officials to discuss the proposals: FTA, RHA, the Rail Freight Group, CIHT, Campaign for Better Transport, Freight on Rail, CTC, LCC, BMF, MAG and Cambridge Cycling Campaign.
