Ms Verona Murphy:

From our point of view, any study for replacing the diesel engine that we have considered would involve either a hydro or a gas engine. There are two issues in that respect. The hydro engine is much heavier and it would reduce the payload by about 10 tonnes. Our capital carrying capacity is between 22 tonnes and 26 tonnes depending on the type of trailer being pulled. If 10 tonnes has to be taken off that, the Deputy can see the problem that would arise. Regarding gas, we are an island and when it comes to certain types of gas - our sector ships from the country - the vehicle cannot be on an enclosed deck and must be on an open deck. That is not the case for all types of vehicles, but with certain types of vehicles with a gas engine, the engine must be dismantled before the vehicle can board the ship. This would currently apply more to imports because we do not see these trucks much here. Vehicles with a compressed natural gas, CNG, engine can travel, but there is not enough space if we were to change over in the morning to that type of engine. The necessary infrastructure is not in place. As to the direction in which I see the sector going, we have been told for years that we will run out of diesel and other fossil fuels. I have no idea about that, all I know is that the technology has to be viable if the sector is to change.