SOE frown on Government’s ‘superlorry’ rebuff

The Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) urges Home Secretary Ruth Kelly to rethink the decision to reject proposals to introduce significantly longer and heavier goods vehicles onto British roads. With six decades of experience within the road transport industry, SOE is committed to developing the careers of it’s members in addition to championing industry best-practice.

The so-called ‘superlorries’ were deemed to create more CO2 emissions in the report, as well as requiring ‘substantial investment’ of infrastructure to accommodate them.

Ian Chisholm, Head of Technical Services disagrees. He said: “The report’s conclusions provide valuable points. However, with the variety of road transport networks we have in the UK, it is shortsighted to reject completely the [superlorry] introduction.

“On many parts of the UK’s road network, these lorries would provide an ideal method to transport higher volumes of goods, using fewer vehicles. In areas not served by rail or sea, and within intelligently thought-out routes, these vehicles could provide an environmentally and financially sound solution to congestion.”


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Editor’s notes:

IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers)

IRTE, one of the most respected names in UK transport, was founded in 1944 and is recognised as an impartial voice of the industry. It encourages high standards of excellence with an emphasis on safety in operation, demonstrated by its research and education programme for members and industry. The IRTE is also a partner in the CV Show, alongside the RHA and SMMT.

IRTE members come from a wide variety of transport-related roles including apprentices and technicians in the light and heavy and bus and coach sectors, workshop managers, fleet engineers, transport managers and company directors.

SOE (Society of Operations Engineers)

SOE is a professional membership organisation that represents around 17,000 individuals and companies in the engineering industry. The SOE has three professional sectors – IRTE, IPlantE and BES (see below for more details).

The Society promotes safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable operations engineering to the benefit of the community at large, through the support of best practice and health and safety initiatives, a commitment to the professional development of its members and by influencing legislation and design.

SOE is a licensed member of ECUK and can register members at all three levels, CEng, IEng and EngTech.

The SOE is online at www.soe.org.uk