Brussels, 19/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 16 January, the European Commission officially published a study carried out by a consortium led by Belgian group Transport&Mobility Leuven. The study finds that introducing longer heavier goods vehicles (LHVs) need not negatively affect society as a whole (see EUROPE 9496). According to the report, which was delivered to the Commission in September 2008, allowing lorries longer than those currently permitted on Europe's roads (European limits are set at 16.5 metres in length and 40 tonnes, except in Sweden and Finland, which have increased the weight limit to 60 tonnes) could reduce the cost of road transport by some 15-20%. The increased attractiveness of road transport would have only a limited effect on the development of other goods transport sectors (inland waterways and rail) which would themselves be boosted by the general increase in transport demand. Bringing in so-called superlorries too quickly could, however, have an adverse effect on small and medium-sized transport companies, which would not be able immediately to renew their fleet of vehicles, and on small local rail transporters. It would, the report says, be better not to go beyond the 60 tonne weight limit, and even to limit the increase to 50-52 tonnes (while, at the same time, increasing the length limit to 25.25 metres) in order to reduce the impact of the lorries on road infrastructure. The Commission will take account of this study when revising directive 96/93 which sets the maximum limits for heavy goods vehicles. The governments of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Alpine and Eastern European countries are reluctant to increase the current limits, as are the rail (operators and sectoral organisations) and inland waterways sectors, which are fearful that they would lose their market share. Environmental organisations and road infrastructure authorities are, in general, against superlorries. Hauliers, shippers and producers, on the other hand, are attracted by the prospect of reduced costs resulting from increased limits. The report can be found at http: //ec.europa.eu/transport/strategies/studies/strategies_en.htm (A.By./transl.rt)