Abstract
This report assesses the benefits to the community that would arise from increasing the power-weight ratio of goods vehicles. Reduced delay to other road users would be the principal benefit. To assess this three articulated lorries, with power weight ratios 5.36, 6.66 and 9.68 bhp-ton, were driven round 1,600 kilometers of the primary route network of England, and the delay they caused to other vehicles was measured. The results indicate that raised the power-weight ratio of a vehicle from 5 to 6 bhp-ton saves an average of 78 minutes delay per 1,000 kilometers to following cars and 33 minutes to following lorries. Similarly a rise from 6 to 8 bhp-ton saves 53 and 26 minutes respectively, and from 8 to 10 bhp-ton saves 16 and 8 minutes.