An assessment of the potential effect of construction traffic, including Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), on the local road network was undertaken as part of the Development Consent Order application for the Lower Thames Crossing. This is set out in Chapter 8 of the project's Transport Assessment.

To mitigate impacts on local roads, an offline haul road network is being implemented to reduce the level of construction traffic. Construction traffic is managed through a suite of control documents, and detailed plans for the works underway have been signed off by the Secretary of State following consultation with relevant stakeholders, including Thurrock Council.

While we have not undertaken a specific assessment of this effect, we are actively considering the implications of introducing zero emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), including the potential for additional road wear.

Zero emission HGVs are subject to the same regulations setting out vehicle weight and dimensions limits as HGVs with internal combustion engines. While battery electric HGVs are currently slightly heavier than those with internal combustion engines, as battery technologies improve over time, we expect this weight difference to reduce.

To support the maintenance of local roads and highway networks, the Department is providing a record £7.3 billion over the next four years to local highway authorities.

Discussions on the reciprocal sharing of information relating to transport managers and road haulage operators took place at meetings of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement Specialised Committee on Road Transport (SCRT) in 2024 and 2025.

At the 2025 meeting of the SCRT, decisions enabling data sharing were formally adopted by the co-chairs. The minutes of those meetings, the text of the decisions, and the associated explanatory memorandum have been published on GOV.UK.

To implement these arrangements domestically, the UK introduced The European Registers of Road Transport Undertakings (Disclosure of Information) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, which came into force on 1 January 2026.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer UIN 8642 of 16 June.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer UIN 8642 of 16 June.

While zero-emission vehicles can be heavier than their petrol or diesel equivalents, the increasing weight of all road vehicles is one of a number of factors affecting the condition of the road network.

National Highways is currently undertaking research into the potential impacts of longer and heavier goods vehicles, including heavier zero-emission HGVs, on road condition across the Strategic Road Network. Initial findings indicate that the impact on road wear and deterioration is likely to vary depending on vehicle type, traffic growth, vehicle uptake and maintenance regimes.

As the research is ongoing, National Highways has not yet quantified any network-wide impact on maintenance costs, and any future implications will depend on the level of uptake of heavier zero-emission HGVs, traffic growth and the condition and type of existing pavement assets. The research is due to conclude in March 2027 and will help inform future asset management and maintenance strategies.

Research is also underway to assess the impact of heavier zero-emission heavy goods vehicles on bridges. While battery electric HGVs are currently slightly heavier than those with internal combustion engines, as battery technologies improve over time the weight difference is likely to reduce.

More broadly, guidance for local highway authorities highlights the need for maintenance plans to take account of changes in traffic and vehicle usage, including the presence of heavier vehicles.

The Government recognises that heavier vehicles can accelerate road surface wear. While we have not undertaken a specific assessment of this effect, we are actively considering the implications of introducing zero-emission heavy goods vehicles, including the potential for additional road wear.

More widely, while EVs tend to be heavier than their equivalent petrol or diesel counterpart, on average all passenger cars have been increasing in weight for many years. It is the much heavier commercial vehicles, rather than passenger vehicles, that cause the most wear and tear to road surfaces and other highway structures.

To support the maintenance of local roads and highway networks, the Department is providing a record £7.3 billion over the next four years to local highway authorities.

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right; when we are building new prisons, we have to think about the local area and ensure that we listen to local people’s views. I would gently say that the Conservative Government promised 20,000 new prison places, but managed just 2% of that—I think we are starting to see why.

Will the Secretary of State instruct his officials who are putting together construction plans for a new mega-prison adjacent to HMP Grendon to actually listen to local voices, rather than insisting from a distance on traffic management plans that will put thousands of heavy goods vehicles down totally inappropriate rural roads?

National Highways’ select link analysis using regional traffic models, identified an average annual daily flow of 1,851 HGV movements between Immingham Port and the A180.

While the current Route Strategies (published May 2023) do not provide specific HGV forecasts for Immingham, they note that freight-related HGVs account for over 30% of traffic on key routes including the A160 and M180. Stakeholder engagement indicates HGV volumes are expected to rise, particularly with Freeport developments.

National Highways’ investment and maintenance plans, set out in the Route Strategies and underpinning the Road Investment Strategy, aim to maintain network reliability and resilience to support this growth. Traffic trends will continue to be monitored to help inform whether capacity needs are being met.

The Government’s UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions statistics include emissions from refrigerated transport. However, not all of these emissions are identified separately as some are aggregated with other emissions. For example, emissions where refrigeration is powered by the main engine of a vehicle are included with other goods vehicles.

Emissions are identifiable in two cases:

• emissions of fluorinated gases from refrigerated transport, which were 0.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) in 2023 (0.1% of the UK total).
• emissions from fuel combustion in auxiliary engines powering refrigerated transport, which were 0.3 MtCO2e in 2023 (0.1% of the UK total).

The Department has not made a specific comparative assessment of the potential impact of 44-tonne, five-axle volumetric concrete mixers (VCMs) and traditional drum mixers.

The Department estimates there are in the region of 1,000 VCMs in operation alongside 20,000 drum mixers. The report undertaken by National Highways as part of the Department’s review of VCMs compared the forces exerted by the VCMs to the standard highway vehicle load model used for assessing bridges and found the effects were up to 17% greater than for vehicles complying with the current standard weight limits. This will likely result in increased wear and tear and may impact the durability and lifespan of existing bridges. In addition to the impact on bridges, heavier vehicles also put more stress on roads.

The outcome of the Department’s review into VCMs, including the report by National Highways, was published on 18 March 2025. This can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/volumetric-concrete-mixers-review

All spending allocations were agreed as part of the Spending Review process to deliver Departmental priorities, including road maintenance, HGV parking and freight infrastructure, alongside specific commitments that would support delivery of net zero. This approach ensured that investment in net zero was considered alongside, not at the expense of, other essential priorities.

This Government understands the significant and damaging impact freight crime has on businesses and drivers and we are aware of worrying increases in its frequency.

We work closely cross-Government to tackle the problem. The Minister for Police and Crime Prevention recently met with Rachel Taylor MP, and Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads at the Department for Transport (DfT) to discuss this very matter. Parking for HGVs is led by the Department of Transport. The DfT also hosts the Freight Council; this group regularly discusses crime against freight companies, and the Home Office works closely with DfT to engage with the sector on this issue through the Freight Council.

There are strong links between freight crime and serious organised crime, which is a major threat to the national security and prosperity of the UK and estimated to cost the economy at least £47 billion annually.

This Government is committed to tackling serious and organised crime in all its forms. We work closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, which has multiple thematic desks, including a vehicle crime intelligence desk which covers freight crime.

We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and other invested stakeholders to change the unacceptable perception that freight crime is low risk and high reward and find solutions which will tackle it.

The increased usage of heavy vehicles is one of many factors affecting road condition. Others include weather, overall traffic volumes, the age of the road and standard to which it was constructed, and the topography of the area. It is the responsibility of individual highway authorities to maintain and improve their networks, based on local circumstances.

The Government has recognised the pressures on local highway networks and is providing almost £1.6 billion for local highway maintenance in 2025/26, an increase of £500 million compared to 2024/25. This funding is not ring-fenced, and it is a matter for local authorities to determine how it is best spent. The Department is also committed to updating its guidance to local highway authorities on how to manage their networks, which will include advice on matters of this sort.