Overtaking Ban For Lorries

The Highways Agency ran a trial on a section of motorway for no overtaking for lorries and the result has come back positive - so positive in fact that the Highways Agency want to introduce a blanket ban for overtaking truckers.


Another ‘no overtaking’ trial for uphill sections of motorways and dual carriageways will be taking place from March on the A34 in Berkshire, M11 in Essex and the A20 near the Port of Dover. These are in addition to the current sites on the M42 in the West Midlands and the A14 in Northamptonshire


Any vehicle 7.5tonnes and over will be restricted to overtake on special selected sections on the road. This will free up outside lane traffic for faster traffic thus reducing congestion, especially in rush hour. With the trial the Highways Agency are hoping to reduce the risks of accidents.


John Burns, Highways Agency route manager for Kent, said about the trail in Dover:


“We are committed to tackling congestion and making journeys on our roads more reliable. This busy section of the A20 is used by around 13,000 vehicles every day, almost a fifth of which are HGVs.” he added:


"A two-mile section is often blocked by overtaking lorries travelling from the port going slowly uphill. Congestion after a ferry has unloaded can build up back towards the town and lead to delays on local roads as well. This causes frustration among car drivers and other motorists caught up in queues.


"By trialling this overtaking restriction, the outside lane should remain clear for faster, lighter traffic and help ensure more reliable journeys for everyone.”


The trial will be run in daytime hours and will stop lorries that are limited to 56mph from overtaking.

31-Mar-2010
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