Opposing the 80ft Mega Truck

Please join me and Love Your Bike in opposing new mega-trucks being allowed across europe.

Love Your Bike are an organisation attached to Friends of the Earth and supporting a safer, greener, bike friendly city here in Manchester. I recommend their website.

They’ve highlighted the potentially horrific introduction of articulated 80ft mega trucks across europe if proposals go ahead are urging everyone to write to their MEPs to work with them to oppose this move. Full story here.

Labour MEPs have already forcefully voiced their opposition to this introduction. I hope the MEPs of other parties will similarly respond but the clock is ticking.

Please visit the Love Your Bike website for full details of the email/letter they’d like you to write.

I have today written to Arlene McCarthy and Brian Simpson Labour MEPs for the north west to thank them for their support.

Here is my email:

Dear Brian,

I’ve been contacted by the Love Your Bike organisation about the proposal to allow trucks up to 80ft long and supported by the European Commission.

I notice from the Love Your Bike website that you have already stated your strong opposition to this change. I am therefore writing to thank you for that opposition and urge you to continue fight for safer modes of transporting goods.

As Love Your Bike have indicated, while the UK Government says it will not allow mega trucks to come to the UK it will be lobbied by the road haulage industry which has an insatiable appetite for bigger heavier lorries. In fact the UK Government buckled to pressure from the road haulage industry in 2012 by allowing 7 ft longer lorries on our roads which are already congested and not designed for vehicles of these proportions.

Even the European Commission’s own  research showed that mega trucks are more dangerous than existing HGVs

Because of the double articulation needed for manoeuvrability in urban areas there is a serious loss of stability at cruising speeds which increases risk of snaking, for example changing lanes.

So once again thank you for your opposition and I note that so far, only yourself and your colleague Labour MEP, Arlene McCarthy have indicated their opposition to Love Your Bike.

Thank you for your unequivocal responses. It is much appreciated.

Mike Cordingley
Councillor for Gorse Hill Ward
Trafford Council
0161 865 9228

www.gorsehill-labour.co.uk
Twitter: @MikeCordingley

Facebook Page: Gorse Hill Labour Party

Facebook Group: Gorse Hill Labour Party (Trafford) – open to all