Plant manufacturers and operators have raised concerns that a change in the law over the operational weight of mobile concrete mixers could have financial implications for the sector.
But this Tuesday (18 March), a two-year government inquiry rejected their calls for the vehicles to be exempt from standard weight restrictions.
An inquiry by the Department for Transport concluded that from 2028 volumetric concrete mixers (VCMs) will have to operate at the standard weight limit for HGVs of 32 tonnes, instead of up to 44 tonnes.
The VCM trade body, the Batching On Site Association (BSA), has raised concerns that the move will see lorries making 20 per cent more journeys to deliver the same amount of concrete and lead to increased costs in fuel, wages and vehicle maintenance.
The DfT launched the inquiry after a report it commissioned through National Highways on the impact of the vehicles on existing bridge structures revealed the effect of their excessive weight was 17 per cent greater than vehicles adhering to standard weight limits.
The inquiry’s report found this will probably result in increased wear and tear and may impact the durability and lifespan of existing bridges.
However, a separate report commissioned by the BSA found that the weight reduction will increase the number of journeys by 598,000 or 20 per cent annually.
Whereas loads in standard drum mixers must be used within two hours, VCMs are specialist mobile plants which carry all the ingredients to make concrete on board – making them heavier.
In its evidence to the inquiry, the BSA said the VCM industry contributes £385m a year to the economy and employs more than 15,000 skilled workers.
It added that the operational weight reduction would add “200 more VCMs on roads to make up for carrying smaller loads, pumping 120,000 additional tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere with a 20 per cent increase in CO2, nitrogen oxide and particulates, and generating extra carbon costs in excess of £7 million per annum”.
Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael has lobbied on behalf of the sector against the weight cut.
“They are a truly integral part of the country’s construction industry. For almost 50 years, they have operated within a proportionate regulatory environment,” he told parliament last year.
“Until 2018, VCMs on four axles could run at the manufacturer’s design weight, which is often about 41 tonnes,” Carmichael said.
“However, in 2018, the DfT decided to impose a 32-tonne limit for all VCMs. The limit forces VCM operators to phase out their current VCMs by 2028, replacing them with the 32 tonne models, which is equally expensive but less effective. Lighter vehicles mean more journeys on the road and more carbon emissions as a consequence.”
In December, Secretary of State for Transport Lilian Greenwood was challenged in parliament on whether her department had assessed the potential economic impact of the move.
In response, she said any potential changes to the current policy would need to consider the implications for road safety, infrastructure, the environment, and maintaining fair competition in the market.
In its conclusion, the DfT report said the current rules will now only be maintained until 2028.
“The length of the arrangement was agreed to provide sufficient time for industry to transition to compliant vehicles,” it said.
“At the end of the temporary arrangement, VCMs must operate at the legal weight limits applicable to other heavy goods vehicles.”
Robert McIlveen, public affairs director of the Mineral Products Association which represents most concrete producers in the UK, told Construction News that this was the right decision based on the evidence.
He said: “The original decision in 2018 struck a good balance between getting the appropriate regulation in place for all HGVs and allowing a reasonable transition period for affected parts of the industry. It’s a good decision for road maintenance and road safety.”
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Nicola Harley