Sausage roll — and other tasty product deliveries — have just got a little longer. Up to 2.05m longer to be exact. Following an eleven-year trial involving 300 UK companies – including leading high street food outlet, Greggs – the UK’s Parliament has approved the use of longer semi-trailers (LSTs).
Evidence from the lengthy trial suggests that LSTs will boost productivity, delivering £1.4bn in economic benefits, reducing the number of journeys by 8%. In addition, they will have a positive environmental impact, potentially saving thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide on the UK’s route to net-zero.
Greggs has been operating LSTs from its Newcastle Distribution Centre since 2013. During the tests with longer trailers it reduced annual truck mileage by 335,000 miles and saved 410 tonnes of carbon in the process.
Whilst some safety groups have expressed concerns about increased dangers for cyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, following additional training for its drivers, Greggs’ accident monitoring reported that they’d found LSTs to be as safe as their standard fleet.