Longer semi-trailers trial
Introduction 
 
Thank you for responding to our longer semi trailer trial consultation your views will help to determine if the trail should be stopped.
Closing date is 1 February 2021.
View all the questions
The survey provides questions based on user choice, a full list of questions is available [opens in new window].
Print or save a copy of your response
At the end, you may either print or save a copy of your response. This option appears after you press 'Submit your response'.
Save and continue option
You may save and continue your response at any time. If you do you're be emailed a link allowing you to continue your response where you left off. However, if you enter an incorrect email address this means you won't receive the link for completion.
Confidentiality and data protection
Department for Transport (DfT) is running this consultation to seek views on its proposal to end the semi longer trailer trail with further testing outside a trial setting.
In this consultation we're asking for:
•	your name and email address, in case we need to ask you follow-up questions about your responses (you do not have to give us this personal information, but if you do provide it, we will use it only for the purpose of asking follow-up questions)	
•	whether you participated in the trial, to understand it's affect on your response	
•	whether you are representing an organisation or yourself	
Additionally for organisations we are asking for the:
•	organisation name, for identification of the business	
•	approximate number of people your organisation represents, to weigh your response accordingly	
Your consultation response and the processing of personal data that it entails is necessary for the exercise of our functions as a government department. Any information you provide that allows individual people to be identified, including yourself, will be protected by data protection law and DfT will be the controller for this information.
Your personal data is processed on behalf of DfT by Smartsurvey, with respect that they run the survey collection software only, your personal data will not be shared with any other third parties, even those employed for the purpose of analysis. DfT's privacy policy (open in new window) has more information about your rights in relation to your personal data, how to complain and how to contact the Data Protection Officer.
Your information will be kept securely and destroyed within 12 months after the closing date. Any information provided through the online questionnaire will be moved to our internal systems within 2 months of the consultation period end date. We will not use your name or other personal details that could identify you when we report the results of the consultation.
Your details 
1. Your (used for contact details only): 

name?  	 	

email?  	 	

 
2. Are you responding: *

  	as an individual? (Go to ‘Individual longer semi-trailers’) 	
  	on behalf of an organisation?	
Organisation details 
 
3. What is the name of your organisation? 

 
4. What size is your organisation? 

  	1 to 9 employees	
  	10 to 49 employees	
  	50 to 249 employees	
  	250 and above	

The trial of longer semi-trailers (LSTs), which are are articulated goods vehicles,  began in January 2012 with an allocation of 1,800 semi-trailers.

Originally the period of the trial was set at 10 years so that operators taking part could recover the cost of purchasing and operating an LST. In January 2017 the trial was extended by 5 years and the number of LSTs increased by an additional 1,000. This was in order to: 
1.	enable more operating experience to be gained 
2.	include a greater number of operators 
 
5. Has your company operated LSTs in the trial? 

  	Yes	
  	No (Go to ‘Use of LST’s’)	
Organisational semi-longer trailer amounts 
 
6. What is the: 

	1 to 5	6 to 10	More than 10	
number of longer semi-trailers (LSTs) your company currently operates?	  	  	  	
largest number of LSTs your company has operated during the trial?	  	  	  	

If numbers have reduced, explain why?  

	
[After answering go to ‘Use of LST’s’]

Individual longer semi-trailers 
 
The trial of longer semi-trailers (LSTs), which are are articulated goods vehicles,  began in January 2012 with an allocation of 1,800 semi-trailers.

Originally the period of the trial was set at 10 years so that operators taking part could recover the cost of purchasing and operating an LST. In January 2017 the trial was extended by 5 years and the number of LSTs increased by an additional 1,000. This was in order to: 
1.	enable more operating experience to be gained 
2.	include a greater number of operators 

7. Have you been involved in the LST trial in any way? 

  	Yes	
  	No (Go to ‘Use of LST’s’)	
How involved? 
 
8. You have been as: 

  	an owner?	
  	an operator?	
  	a driver?	
  	something else?

	
Use of LSTs 
 
Before the trial, it was theorised that the use of LSTs should lead to journey reductions, which in turn would lead to a reduction in transport: 
•	congestion	
•	emissions	
The trial’s purpose was to discover if these original hypotheses would, in fact, be realised in practice. To date the trial data has confirmed the original viewpoint.
 
As a consequence, although the trial was to run until 2027, we now believe the trial has reached a point where continued evaluation is unlikely to provide additional statistically significant results and that remaining questions, relating to the safety of LSTs in use, can only be answered outside of a trial setting.

We are therefore proposing ending the trial and are seeking your views on the next steps to take.
9. Do you agree that the LST trial should be concluded prior to its planned end date of 2027? *

  	Yes (Go to ‘Agreement to trials ending’)	
  	No	
Disagree with ending trial 
 
10. You are against stopping the trial because the trial: 

  	has not provided sufficient data in order for a decision to be made? (Go to ‘Using LST's outside of trials’) 	
  	is planned to run until 2027 so should run until then regardless? (Go to ‘Using LST's outside of trials’)	
  	should continue past the proposed end date of 2027?	
  	another reason? (Go to ‘Using LST's outside of trials)

	
Past 2027 
 
11. Why? 

	
[Using LST's outside of trials]

Agreement to trials ending 
 
12. You are in favour of ending the trial because: *

  	there is sufficient data in order for a decision to be made at this time? (Go to ‘Using LST's outside of trials’)	
  	you are opposed to LST's being on UK roads?	
Against LST's being on UK roads 
 
13. Why? 

	
 
14. As you are against LST's being on UK roads and the rest of this survey is about regulating such use you may either: *

  	go to the final comments section? (Go to ‘Final comments’)	
  	continue answering the survey?	
Using LST's outside of trials 
 
The  trial evaluation includes a survey carried out in  2016 to 2017 where operators were asked how many LSTs they would seek to include in their fleets if they were not restricted by trial conditions or quantity caps.

This survey has provided data which suggests that, without these restrictions, LSTs would make up between 10 to 20% of the total UK semi-trailer fleet.

15. Do you believe that LST use should be permitted in general circulation with no restriction on numbers? 

  	Yes I agree LST's should be permitted in general circulation and with no restriction on LST numbers (Go to ‘LST regulation’)	
  	Yes I agree LST's should be permitted in general circulation, but with restricted numbers (Go to ‘Restricted numbers’)	
  	No I disagree LST's should be permitted in general circulation at all 	
  	Don't know? (Go to ‘LST regulation’)	
Against general circulation 
 
16. Why are you against general circulation of LSTs? 

	
 
17. As you are against LST's being in general circulation and the rest of this survey is about regulating such use you may either: *

  	go to the final comments section? (Go to ‘Final comments’)	
  	continue answering the survey? (Go to ‘LST regulation’)	
Restricted numbers 
 
18. In your opinion the amount should be: 

  	below 3,000?	
  	3,001 to 5,000?	
  	5,001 to 10,000?	
  	10,001 to 15,000	
  	another amount above 15,000?

	
LST regulation 
 
We are seeking your views on 3 approaches for the post-trial use of LSTs. The approaches we suggest for LST regulation are either a: 
•	general circulation approach	
•	light regulation approach	
•	heavier regulation approach	
The general circulation approach

Here we suggest we regulate LST's on the same basis as 13.6 metre trailers with the sole addition that operators are required to ensure that LST drivers have appropriate training.
Light regulatory approach (our preferred option)

Here we suggest we would regulate to general circulation approach levels plus require a:
1.	route risk assessment monitoring that LSTs are using set routes
2.	system of driver feedback
Heavier regulatory approach

In this option we suggest that we regulate to the previous ‘lighter regulatory’ approach plus require:
1.	LSTs to operate at least 80% of the time on major roads; operators must accurately track LSTs by GPS, plus retain data
2.	there is an approved LST CPC course for drivers 
3.	there is an annual authorisation from the traffic commissioner to operate LSTs over 10 years of age 80% of the time on major roads 

19. In your opinion what level of regulation should be required for LST operating outside the trial? 

  	The general circulation approach (Go to ‘General circulation regulation of LST’s’) 	
  	The lighter regulatory approach (Go to ‘Data requirement’)	
  	The heavier regulatory approach (Go to ‘Data requirement’)	
  	Another approach?	

Another regulatory approach 
 
20. What is your alternative approach and why? 

	
Data requirement 
 
Operators within the trial are required to submit data every four months to the Department for Transport’s independent evaluation consultant.

This data comprises: 
•	company information, including information about their size,  nature of business and  non-LST semi-trailer fleet	
•	trailer information which is  basic information relating to company Trailer IDs, their Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs), design details and the numbers of days ‘off the road’ in the required period	
•	journey information, which summarises all the LST journeys on the public road network in the period on a ‘per trailer’ basis	
•	incident information, including all LST incidents on the public highway plus certain types of incident on private property (for example in depots and at client sites) as well as summary of non-LST incidents (including damage-only incidents)	

21. You agree that the data required to be collected by operators outside of the trail conditions should be: 

  	the same as trial conditions?	
  	more than trial conditions?	
  	less than trial conditions?	
  	removed?	
  	something else?

	
 
22. With regards to our risk assessment proposal you think operators should: 

  	be required to undertake risk assessments of routes, retain the data and be required to provide a copy to the police and other authorities (DVSA, OTC or Traffic Commissioner) on request?	
  	not be required to undertake risk assessments of routes, retain the data and be required to provide a copy to the police and other authorities (DVSA, OTC or Traffic Commissioner) on request?	
  	be something else?

	
Journey 
 
We are proposing that 80% of a LSTs journey must be completed on the strategic road networks in England and Wales and the Trunk Road network in Scotland. 

The Strategic Road Network in England comprises motorways and some A roads and is managed by Highways England. The Scottish Trunk Road Network is managed by Transport Scotland and the Welsh Government strategic road network is managed by Traffic Wales.

23. Do you agree that each LST should be required to undertake at least 80% of each journey on the Strategic Road Network? 

  	Yes (Go to ‘Journey’)	
  	No	
  	Don't know? (Go to ‘Journey’)	
Alternative to 80% road use 
 
24. What is your alternative? 

	

Journey 
 
25. Do you agree with operators being required to track LSTs via GPS to ensure the 80% requirement is being achieved, retaining the data and making it available to the police, DVSA, OTC and the traffic commissioner on request? 

  	Yes	
  	No	
  	Don't know?	
 
26. Do you agree that operators should be required to report to the department serious incidents that led to: 

	Yes	No	Don't know?	
loss of life on public roads and private land?	  	  	  	
injury on public roads and private land?	  	  	  	
damage on public roads and private land?	  	  	  	

If no, why not?  

	
Driver training 
 
We are proposing to require drivers operating LSTs to undertake training which lasts a minimum of half a day before they are able to operate a LST.

27. Do you agree with this training proposal for the: 

	Yes	No	Don't know?	
lighter regulation approach?	  	  	  	
heavier regulation approach?	  	  	  	

If no, what do you think the training should entail?  

	
28. Do you think we should require operators to undertake a risk assessment of proposed routes? 

  	Yes	
  	No	
  	Don't know?	
Traffic Commissioner requirement 
 
29. Do you think we should require operators to obtain specific authority from the Traffic Commissioner to operate LSTs? 

  	Yes	
  	No	
  	Don't know?	
 
30. Do you think we should require annual authorisation from a traffic commissioner to operate an LST over 10 years of age? 

  	Yes	
  	No	
  	Don't know?	
Technical requirements 
 
31. Do you think that the lighter additional regulatory option is a barrier to you: 

	Yes	No	Don't know?	
purchasing LST's?	  	  	  	
operating LST's?	  	  	  	

If yes, what issues?  

	
 
[After answering go to ‘LST cost and benefits’]
32. Do you think the heavier additional regulatory option is a barrier to you: 

	Yes	No	Don't know?	
purchasing LSTs?	  	  	  	
operating LSTs?	  	  	  	

If yes, what issues?  

	
General circulation regulation of LST's 
 
33. If there was a situation where there were no additional regulatory measures required for LST purchase and operation which of the following would apply to you? 

  	I would seek to purchase more LSTs than I would have done under the other regulatory options	
  	I would now seek to operate LSTs where I would not have done under the other regulatory options	
  	I would operate LSTs as and when I can identify a current business need for them	
  	I have no current business need for operating LSTs but would like to own one to open up further business opportunities.	
  	I would replace one or more of my 13.6m trailers with an LST variant instead	
 
34. What, if any, further comments or barriers to owning LSTs with no additional regulation do you have? 

	

LST costs and benefits 
 
35. What, if any, other costs or benefits have not been included in the impact assessment that you think should be considered? 

	
Final comments 
 
36. Any other comments?