Increasing the allowed length of articulated lorries

The Department for Transport is consulting on the impacts of allowing an increase in the permitted length of articulated lorries to 18.75 metres. We propose maintaining all other regulations, including the 44 tonne gross vehicle weight limit.

Allowing this increase in the length of articulated lorries could lead to:

• an increase in the cubic volume of loads carried by lorries
• the introduction of safer aerodynamic fronts on these vehicles

• Impact assessment of longer semi-trailers

• WSP UK: longer semi-trailer feasibility study
• TRL: investigating the likely technical effects in the UK if EU regulations were amended to permit articulated vehicles to be 19.4m long or with a GVW of 44 tonnes on 5 axles