The claims of a Conservative councillor that HGVs seem to be 'racing each other' on Midlands' motorways has been slammed as 'absurd'.

Speaking at a recent Transport Delivery Committee of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Solihull councillor Diana Holl-Allen MBE (Con) described HGV drivers as a 'nuisance' during a discussion around platooning .

Platooning involves several vehicles, sometimes as many as eight or nine, driving in line with one and other and all controlled by a single driver at the head of the line. The other vehicles in the line are controlled using Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV), or driverless, technology.

Motorway traffic. Library photo.

The technology has been discussed in relation to easing congestion in the West Midlands, with Cllr Holl-Allen saying: "We’ve got to stop them. They seem to enjoy this, every now and again. Whether they get tired I don’t know, but lots of them are racing each other.

"And frankly they’re a dire nuisance and a danger. I know we’ve got a lot more lanes now and that’s happening all the way through, and that’s got to be a good thing.

"But we’ve got to have the courage of our convictions to say yes, the HGVs must get out of the way. I think they’re only supposed to go at about 60 [miles per hour] anyway."

Responding to the claims, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) said that it could "see no basis for them," adding that "lorry drivers are highly trained professionals, held to the highest standards, and making sweeping statements about them being unsafe and irresponsible are unfair and unhelpful".

A spokesman said: "There are incredibly rigorous laws safeguarding our industry, and claims that HGV drivers would intentionally risk their lives and those of other road users for a fun 'race' are absurd."

The RHA is a trade association for road transport and freight logistics operators.

This was a point backed by their Managing Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Rod McKenzie.

"Far from 'racing' each other, UK lorries are limited to 56mph," he said.

"Many trucks from supermarkets are kept to slower speeds in order to reduce fuel use, and therefore emissions.

"What is being described as racing is more likely one HGV overtaking another in lane two of a motorway.

"One vehicle may be travelling at 50mph so the second vehicle can overtake only slowly because it is speed limited.

"This can be frustrating for other drivers but it’s certainly not racing.

"Lorry drivers don’t do joyriding.”