European Road freight
Whilst the political issues remain contentious, the logistics and transport industry are getting used to the new European trade rules post Brexit. Overcoming obstacles and finding new opportunities, such as consolidated shipping which can offer cost savings to shippers, as well as reducing paperwork, problems and border delays.
As stockpiles made in November and December begin to run down, UK international road freight in the last few weeks has recovered from the January slump, with exports back to around 80% of their normal levels for this time of year.
However the latest UK government figures indicate that up to one in five UK road-borne exports are still not taking place, as traders themselves try to understand the post-Brexit trade complications. There is also a higher percentage of UK outbound lorries running empty on cross channel services. If you require help with your shipping please contact us, our friendly, experienced team are happy to assist.
Still in the early stages of Brexit recovery, there is a long process ahead and the long term impact on British, European and Worldwide economies remains to be seen.
Another little known European complication for UK lorries is height restrictions.
Bridges, tunnels and trolleybus wires in Europe tend to be a lot lower than in the UK, typically with 4m head room, which creates an issue for UK lorries used to 5m + in the UK.
Historically the UK has always had the highest vehicles in Europe, this goes back to the UK’s double-decker buses, which followed UK double-decker trams, which were never used by mainland Europe.
In most European countries anything above 4m is classed as an abnormal load. Whereas in the UK there is no legal maximum height of vehicles, 5m is the norm – that is the height that unmarked bridges will exceed. But luckily there are no such discrepancies on width, the standard 2.55m applies to most of mainland Europe and the UK.
We offer European distribution services with our own fleet of vehicles, and our experienced driver and operations teams can complete customs paperwork, ensuring no crossing delays occur for our clients.
Our new addition to the fleet, has has had the tractor unit modified by lowering the 5th wheel which means we are under the height restrictions enabling access to all European tunnels, which ensures we can take the most direct route every time.
Work with us today and enjoy hassle-free supply chain delivery solutions. Request a free quote today or call us on +44 (0)1622 237 979 for enquiries or email transport@tps-global.com