Brussels, 01/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - The rapporteur on reviewing the weight and size of heavy goods vehicles, Jorg Leichfried (S&D, Austria), has adopted a cautious approach with regard to mega trucks in the draft report to be presented and discussed on Tuesday 5 November at the transport committee (TRAN). He suggests an impact assessment should be carried out on the effect that cross-border authorisation for such vehicles (of up to 25 metres in length and 60 tonnes in weight) would have on modal transfer, safety, working conditions and pollution and noise.
International ban. While the Commission recommends in its proposal that these longer and heavier vehicles should be allowed to cross from one country to the next, the rapporteur prefers currently to ban their being used internationally, without, however, fully closing the door. He bases his argument on the findings of an impact analysis. There is no doubt that the rapporteur's amendment, which is justified by the fact that “cross-border circulation of longer trucks has the potential to change the Union's main political objectives as listed in the White Paper”, will result in a major debate within the TRAN committee. This has already been the case many times before, more or less between the Liberals and a fringe of the EPP open to authorisation of mega trucks, and the Greens and Socialists who express reticence. Road hauliers have always been in favour of clarifying the current rules on the cross-border use of mega trucks, highlighting the environmental interest of the European modular system. They would at least like more trials to be carried out in Europe.
Aerodynamic flap device. Road carriers also regret that the rapporteur seeks to restrict aerodynamic flap lengths on trucks to just 50 cm as opposed to the Commission's recommendation of 200 cm. The restriction seeks to maintain the ability for trucks to be carried on a very limited number of rail wagons used in intermodal transport, such as “rolling motorway” trains that currently account for a mere 0.15% of EU land transport.