Weight limits abroad

pierrot 14:

Simon:

emwmarine:
I’m sure this is a stupid post and one answer is to use the search function.

However, i’m driving my car around Provence at the moment on holiday. Pretty nearly all the lorries i see in France are 2x4 tractors and not the 2x6 tractors with a lift axle that i’ve driven in the uk.

Here i show my ignorance. Are the weight limits different in france that everyone drives lighter tractor units??

pierrot 14:
38 t for 4 axled drawbars/artics
44 t for 5 axled drawbars/artics, This was increased from 40 t in 2012

For national work.

The European limit for International work is 40t on 5 axles.

Show me the link to that Simon so that I can show it to my bosses before I cross the channel to the UK, fully loaded.

acea.be/uploads/publication … Rg_pUk0mtg

Page 2 of the above. The EU maximum gtw for international transport between member countries is 40t on 5 or 6 axles with an 11.5t drive axle, 24t trailer bogie and an overall height of 4m. The only legal exception is the reciprocal agreement between UK, Belgium, Netherlands and Denmark allowing 44t on 6 axles which the EU recognises. Internal weight and dimension limits are not an EU matter and member states set their own, sometimes much higher limits. We all know that this rule is ignored by operators and uninforced by most countries, but it is the law.

Interestingly, and contrary to comments being made the only country which I have experienced this being enforced, and admittedly it’s at least 15 years ago now, was Sweden. Even though their limit was goodness knows what, they were on the lookout for 5 axle foreign vehicles which looked heavy around the Malmo area heading for a ferry. Having a silo I was stopped a couple of times by the police, not weighed they just wanted to see the CMR and as it showed a payload of about 25t they lost interest.

The 11.5t drive axle requirement produces one of the many anomalies in UK law, in that a gtw of upto 40,000kg gives a the drive axle limit of 11,5t which the EU tells us we must allow. Once you get to 40,001kg gtw, this then falls under domestic legislation and the drive axle limit drops to 10.5t. It will be interesting to see what happens to this after Brexit, if we live long enough to see it that is.