Speculation is growing ahead of next week’s Budget that funding to start testing lorry ‘platooning’ in the UK will be announced by Chancellor George Osborne.

 

Platooning is the electronic coupling of vehicles to run in close formation. Reports suggest that trials of such a system could begin on a motorway – potentially the M6 in Cumbria – before the end of the year.

 

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “New technology has the potential to bring major improvements to journeys and the UK is in a unique position to lead the way for the testing of connected and driverless vehicles.

 

“We are planning trials of HGV platoons – which enable vehicles to move in a group so they use less fuel – and will be in a position to say more in due course.”

 

The Freight Transport Association’s head of road network management policy Malcolm Bingham has welcomed the idea of HGV platooning, which he said could help operators save money on fuel and reduce carbon emissions.

 

“By moving vehicles closer together it creates a slipstream that they can all benefit from,” he explained. “We are supportive of a road trial because the industry needs evidence that the system works.”

 

ITS (UK) secretary general Jennie Martin added: “Lorry platooning trials would enable the UK to showcase its advanced capability in connected and autonomous vehicles. These technologies look really promising in terms of reducing emissions and noise, improving safety, and contributing to reliable journeys.”

 

But motoring group the AA’s president Edmund King expressed doubts about whether platooning could work in the UK. He said: “The UK motorway network is intensively used and has many more junctions than motorways in Europe or indeed the world. 

 

“Therefore it is very difficult to have a 44t, 10 lorry platoon, because other vehicles need to get past to enter or exit the motorway.”

 

He added: “If one considers the UK motorway network probably the only feasible place to trial the plans would be the M6, north of Preston towards Scotland, because it tends to have less traffic and there are slightly fewer entrances and exits.”

 

RAC chief engineer David Bizley welcomed the principle of platooning but said there were questions to be answered in terms of how the technology can be adopted safely.

 

“It is our understanding that there will be drivers in every lorry until the technology is thoroughly proven, which is obviously a condition we would welcome,” he said.

 

“But looking further ahead to the point where there is one driver at the ‘front of the train’, the responsibility on their shoulders will be far greater and they may themselves need help from driver assistance technology to minimise the risk of error.”

 

(Photo: Highways England)