The Heavy Goods Vehicle dataset contains records of the Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport (CSRGT) from 1 January 1976 to 31 December 2003. The CSRGT sampled vehicles on Operators' Licences registered with the Department and collated data about one week's activity from each vehicle in the sample. The data is concerned with heavy goods vehicles (over 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight in 1997) using public roads and includes information on journeys made, weight of vehicle, types of goods moved and fuel used, together with some related documentation. It covers heavy goods vehicles registered in the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland from 1998) only; survey data relating to international road haulage and small goods freight are compiled separately. Only travel on public roads is surveyed; work done on private land is not included. The sample was spread evenly over the year so that the sample was 'self weighting' in respect of seasonal effects, holidays etc.
The key reason behind the collation of statistics relating to heavy goods vehicles was to provide essential information for transport policy purposes. Transport trends in road freight haulage vis-a-vis other types of internal haulage is considered vital information for an integrated transport policy. The statistics of the Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport [GB] have also been utilised as follows:
- For specific studies relating to transport matters such as 'Adjustment to National Taxation Systems' (ANTS); and environmental and other costs of lorries.
- Ad hoc queries on transport matters for specific purposes.
- Providing some of the statistics required by the EEC.
The datasets in this series are available to download. Links to individual datasets can be found at piece level.