Consultation outcome

Ending the longer semi-trailer trial

• From: Department for Transport
• Published: 9 November 2020
• Last updated: 24 June 2022 — See all updates

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Ending the longer semi-trailer trial: consultation response

PDF, 373 KB, 36 pages

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Ending the longer semi-trailer trial: impact assessment 2022

PDF, 848 KB, 61 pages

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Detail of outcome

After reviewing the 31 responses supplied, we have decided that longer semi-trailers (LSTs) should be allowed into general circulation with light regulatory control on their use.

The outcome was released on 24 August 2021.

In June 2022, the Department for Transport published an updated impact assessment. We expect the new regulatory measures to come into force in autumn 2022.

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Original consultation

Summary

Asks if we should stop the longer semi-trailer trial ahead of schedule.

This consultation ran from
12:15am on 9 November 2020 to 11:59pm on 1 February 2021

Consultation description

Consultation asking if we should end the existing longer semi-trailer trial (LST). The trial, which started in 2012, is testing the theory that the use of LSTs should lead to journey reductions, which in turn would lead to a reduction in transport:

• congestion
• emissions

Although planned to run until 2027, we believe the trial has reached a point where continuing is unlikely to provide useful results and that remaining issues, relating to the safety, can only be answered outside of trial settings.

Documents

Longer semi-trailer trial

HTML

Longer semi-trailer trial: impact assessment

PDF, 1.82 MB, 66 pages

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Published 9 November 2020
Last updated 24 June 2022 + show all updates

1. 24 June 2022

   2022 impact assessment published. The government expects the new regulatory measures to come into force in autumn 2022.

2. 24 August 2021

   Outcome released.

3. 9 November 2020

   First published.