Plunging pound

a lorry steering wheel is ideal as a rest for a newspaper.

Whilst being an enthusiastic proponent of IT (it provided my career and now my pension) there is always the factor of systems suitability. While it might be possible to control three or more trucks simultaneously, other factors must be considered. To gain fuel saving they are going to travel close together but while electronic reaction times are fast, stopping distances vary according to weather and in rain or snow are extended. The potential for collisions and jack-knifing are going to be increased.

The Australians use road trains, where between three trailers (on busy roads) and eight trailers (in the Outback) are coupled to one tractor unit. They have stopping points outside the busy areas where the trains are assembled or dismantled.

On the other hand, we have a comprehensive rail network. Using swap bodies or roadrailers where the lorry trailer is suspended between two rail bogies to reduce height means even greater fuel savings can be made. The time taken to assemble or dismantle a road train is often as much as it takes to transfer from road to rail. In Scotland our rail network is not used to full potential and with a new design of rail transportable trailer (within our restrictive height limits) we could achieve the same as driverless lorries.

If we must increase lorry loading per driver, then perhaps we should be looking at technology to make rail a better alternative. BRUCE D SKIVINGTON

Strath, Gairloch I wonder if those who voted to leave the EU rejoiced when they discovered on their foreign holiday that the Brexit pound barely matches the euro and is still falling against