§ Mr. Robert Atkinsasked the Minister of Transport what standards are in force on total truck length in the United Kingdom, West Germany and France; what steps have been taken to enforce such standards in the United Kingdom; and how many contraventions of United Kingdom standards have resulted in prosecution in 1977, 1978 and 1979.
§ Mr. FowlerThe maximum truck lengths generally applicable are, in metres, as follows:
United Kingdom France West Germany Rigid vehicle 11 11 12 Articulated vehicle 15 15 15 Road Train 18 18 18 In France, tractor-trailer combinations carrying containers may be 15.5 metres long.
Enforcement of the regulations in this country is primarily a matter for the police and the numbers of successful prosecutions of over length goods vehicles in 1977 and 1978 were 194 and 107 respectively. Figures for 1979 are not yet available. In addition to action by the police, my Department's traffic examiners also check on vehicle length when checking vehicles for compliance with weight limits.