KRONE UK News 13

02 OPERATOR NEWS
Volvo hooks up with Krone
for City trailer trials
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, where
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 - who manage
the Traffic Order on behalf of 31
London boroughs, the City of
London and on the Transport for
London Road Network.
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.
“This combination of
Krone City Liner and Volvo
FM 420 4x2 Globetrotter
LXL tractor unit is perfect
for manoeuvring in tight
corners”
explains Martin Tomlinson, Volvo’s
Head of Product Demonstration.
“Also, it clearly demonstrates
that an articulated vehicle of this
specification is equally suitable
as an 8-wheeler when it comes to
operating in urban areas.”
The LLCS has been in place since
1985, under the Greater London
(Restriction of Goods Vehicles)
Traffic Order 1985, but now, says
Volvo and many other players in the
UK commercial transport industry, it
is time to review the scheme.
“Quite simply” adds Martin, “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.”