HGVS in snow: It’s complicated

Sir, – I write regarding the letter from Colin Young (“Time to focus on the key issues”, March 5) regarding legislation to keep some HGVS off the Scottish roads network during a red weather warning – which means a possible risk of injury or life.

Basically Mr Young is trying to condemn our First Minister for putting the risk of injury or life before earning money for the hauliers, who then subcontract their deliveries to selfemployed and zerohours contract couriers who Mr Young was alluding too. I do have a wee bit sympathy for those hauliers that tie themselves into contracts with distributors who will fine them if they do not deliver by a specific time – regardless of what is said, we all know that this happens in some instances.

However, I take a different view on what the key issue is that we are faced with on our roads in 2018.

Since 2009, after much lobbying by the RHA, we have six-axle HGVS with a gross weight of 44 tonnes, with the only traction delivered through one driving axle.

These vehicles are ideal most of the time: maximum load, low emissions, no twin drive ripping out tar when making tight turns. But try taking one out in a small amount of snow, when they lose momentum for the least little event and get stuck.

Once stuck, if the driver attempts to get moving again the road camber may cause him to jack-knife. Then the motorway is blocked and gritters and ploughs cannot get past, as these vehicles happen to be up to an eye-watering 16.5 metres long.

If these hauliers are carrying essential food supplies then why not use chains, as they do in some EU countries, where I believe it is mandatory? Strange how we never “harmonised” that bit of the HGV legislation? In addition, other goods should not be hauled until the red alert is over.

It would be interesting to find out what

percentage of the current HGV drivers have gained any experience of driving in snow or adverse conditions.

Back in the ’80s many rural workers moved to haulage when the lairds and farmers cut back on their workforces.

Most of these workers drove in snow, mud and water, which gave them a good grounding in driving in adverse conditions. Councillor Henry Anderson. 4 Muirmont Crescent, Bridge of Earn.