Demand for longer trailers will soar in 2012, says the boss of one logistics firm.
Stuart Terris, managing director of Southampton-based Meachers, says that the new trailers will prove extremely popular amongst
transport planning specialists despite them offering little in terms of operational benefits.
Meachers has applied for ten 14.65 metre and ten 15.6 metre trailers and is one of 180 firms which has been successful in applying to be part of the Department for Transport's (DfT) ten-year trial.
"We've done it to cover ourselves as we're fairly certain some of our customers are going to say we want longer trailers, once it gets out," Mr Terris told CommercialMotor.com.
"It won't necessarily work for us as we have such a mix of business. If you're own account you're doing light stuff so it's going to be the likes of Tesco that benefit. For us it will add weight and cost to the trailers, reducing our revenue per trailer."
Earlier this month, Warrington-based consultancy Risk Solutions was selected to by the DfT to oversee the UK longer semi-trailer trial.
