Current status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any increasing weight of vehicles and any damage that this may be doing to ageing road infrastructure.
The design of road infrastructure is influenced by the loading from heavy goods vehicles and the legislation for the weights and dimensions of these vehicles is reserved to the UK Government. Regular engagement on potential changes to vehicle weights and dimensions is held between officials in Transport Scotland, and the Department for Transport. It is known that increasing axle weights causes increased wear and tear on carriageways and could result in the requirement to re-assess the load carrying capacity of bridges.