Adopt and regularly review updated nominal weights for cars and coaches

The practice of using one metric tonne for the all-up weight of the average car with luggage, fuel, and personal effects, is outmoded. A nominal weight of 1¼ metric tonnes should be adopted. This figure should be reviewed regularly by the Department on a large random sample basis, say, every five years. Similar considerations apply to coaches, where the current Townsend Thoresen practice of allowing 14 tons per coach should be adopted. It is desirable that the Department should conduct an analysis of coaches, particularly of the long distance double decker type, in order to determine a more accurate basis for the nominal weight. This nominal weight should then be used in making up the cargo predictions. Finally, there is the very important question of freight vehicle weights. Partly because the permissible weight limits on the Continent are higher than in the United Kingdom there is an advantage to be gained in under-declaring the weight of freight vehicles proceeding from the Continent to the United Kingdom. It is not enough to say that this will only apply to vehicles coming into the United Kingdom because if a vehicle is leaving the United Kingdom for a long Continental run, there is also an advantage for the British operator to load to the Continental limit. Checks at Dover on over 100 vehicles coming to the United Kingdom showed that on average the actual weight exceeded the declared weight by approximately 13%. It is considered that these checks should be extended, particularly covering the present gap in knowledge of the weight of outgoing vehicles. The checks should not be on the basis of weighing obviously likely vehicles, but on a purely random basis. To avoid criticism of the statistical validity of such checks, a considerable number of vehicles should be covered, say 500 either way. Such numbers, in conjunction with a random choice, should produce a reliable margin for addition to the waybill declaration. Meanwhile we consider that an addition of 13% should be made to declared weights when making up anticipated cargoes. This does not, however, replace the necessity to read draughts accurately to prevent overloading, nor does it replace the need for weigh bridges and individual weight measurements for every heavy vehicle loading onto a Ro-Ro ferry. Its main value, in the context of accurately read draughts, is to allow reliable determination of the ratio of weight being loaded on the upper and lower decks of a two-tier ferry. This ratio can be crucial, as was shown by evidence of Mr. Taggart. Finally, once a comprehensive weigh bridge system is instituted the Department should review the statistics of declared and actual weights and produce an update of such margins every five years.