§ 33. Mr. Prescottasked the Secretary of State for Transport what statutory provisions permit the current use of lorries in excess of 32.5 tonnes on roads in the United Kingdom; and to what extent use has been made of these provisions during the last year for which this information is available.
§ Mr. FowlerThe use of vehicles specially designed and constructed to carry abnormal loads is permitted by the Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) General Order 1979. Secton 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 also allows the grant, by administrative action, of individual orders for special circumstances. No records are made of movements made under the general order, but in 1980 215 administrative orders authorising 570 specific journeys were issued and a further 8 such orders were issued for a specific period.