§ Mr. Peter Freemanasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the steadily increasing volume of traffic on the roads, what Regulations are in operation limiting the height, length and width of each variety of vehicle; and what further Regulations he is making on this matter.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe information asked for is as follows:
A. Motor vehicles and trailers in general use on the roads
The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, 1955, prescribe the following limits:
- Overall height:
- Public service vehicles—15 ft.
- Other vehicles—no limit.
Overall length:
Articulated vehicles—35 ft. (with certain exceptions);
Public service vehicles, double-decked, four-wheeled–27 ft. or less according to date of first registration;
All other motor vehicles—30 ft.;
Trailers (unless forming part of articulated vehicles, and with certain other exceptions)—22 ft. (excluding drawbar).
Overall width:
- Locomotives—9 ft.
- Public service vehicles—8 ft.
Heavy motor cars which are goods vehicles of 4 tons unladen weight upwards and trailers drawn by them; and road sweepers—8 ft.
Other heavy motor cars, motor cars, and trailers (with certain exceptions) and motor tractors—7 ft. 6 in.
Invalid carriages—7 ft. 2 in.
(The load carried on a vehicle must not—
unless the load consists of loose agricultural produce, not baled or crated, or is an indivisible load of the movement of which two days' notice has been given to the police.)
- (a) overhang sideways more than 1 ft. beyond the overall width of the vehicle, or
- (b) have a total lateral width of more than 9 ft. 6 in.;
I have recently circulated to representative organisations a proposal that the maximum overall length of four-wheeled, double-decked public service vehicles first registered on or after 1st July next should be increased to 30 ft. and a uniform maximum of 27 ft. apply to those registered before that date.
147WB. Special type vehicles
The use of certain special types of motor vehicles and trailers (the most important being certain agricultural vehicles, engineering plant and vehicles carrying abnormal indivisible loads) is authorised by the Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) General Order, 1955, although their dimensions and those of their loads exceed those permitted under the Construction and Use Regulations. As regards abnormal indivisible loads and engineering plant I have recently sent to the interests concerned some suggestions for modifying the provisions of the existing Order.