Volvo trials with Krone City

Volvo Trucks, United Kingdom and Ireland, has been trialling a Krone City Liner in urban areas, including inner London, to re-open the debate regarding the use of articulated vehicles.

Currently the London Lorry Control Scheme (LLCS) restricts the movement of HGVs over 18 tonnes but does not apply to ‘rigid’ or 8-wheel vehicles.

Nicknamed ‘Lorry Ban’ the scheme controls where HGVs over 18 tonnes can drive at night and weekends and requires permission to be granted by London Councils.

The Krone City Liner trailer is designed specifically for use in urban environments where ‘conventional’ semitrailers are less able to manoeuvre, owing to restricted space and overall vehicle length. Its compact box body rides on an 11.025m chassis with twin axles, both rated at 9000kg and has a wheel base (king pin to second axle) of 7.40m. Furthermore, the front axle can be raised and lowered while the rear axle is force-steering – at up to 25 degrees.

The LLCS has been in place since 1985, under the Greater London (Restriction of Goods Vehicles) Traffic Order 1985, but Volvo and many other players in the UK commercial transport industry say it is time to review the scheme.

‘Quite simply’ said Martin Tomlinson, Volvo’s head of product demonstration, ‘over the last 30 or so years, technology has moved on: vehicle and trailer designs are now more sophisticated than ever and by using this latest ‘City solution’ from Krone and Volvo, we feel it’s time to put the discussion regarding the restriction of articulated vehicles in urban areas back on the table.’