81 percent of French people against mega trucks

Publication date: 16 July 2009

The vast majority of people in France are opposing mega trucks.

This was shown in a representative opinion poll carried out by the polling firm CSA on behalf of the environmental group France Nature Environnement (FNE) in June. Accordingly 81 percent of French people are against the admission of LHVs. 79 percent are worried about traffic safety in case of an allowance of mega trucks.

The French people are not alone in Europe with their strict aversion of longer and heavier trucks. Polls in Germany and Great Britain also showed the rejection of mega trucks by the overwhelming majority of people. 73 percent of Germans and 75 percent of the British people are against allowing LHVs.

At the same time further details become known about the mega truck test that the French government is planning for April 2010. Thus the 25 metres long and 57 tonnes heavy vehicles shall drive between Nantes and Strasbourg. On this about 1000 kilometres long route the railway traffic got cancelled in May 2003.

This is where FNEs transport politicy spokesman Michel Dubromel sees a major contradiction between the ambitious environmental objectives of the French government and their factual actions. The Grenelle-convention of October 2007, where the French government set groundbreaking environment political aims, determines amongst others the reduction of road traffic on distances above 500 kilometres. “Mega trucks totally contradict these objectives. The costs for infrastructure that these vehicles cause are extensive. This has to be stopped – no unnecessary public investments anymore.” demanded Dubromel.

As a reaction on the planned long distance use of mega trucks FNE now started a national petition.

Source: No Mega Trucks Campaign