Weights and dimensions of lorries

The European Commission published on the 16th of January the study carried out by Transport & Mobility Leuven (Belgium), TNO (Netherlands), Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées (France) and RWTH Aachen University (Germany) assessing positive and negative implications of a possible revision of the rules in force on weights and dimensions of lorries. The study will be used by the Commission to evaluate the necessity to revise the Directive of 1996. The Commission intends to undertake further analysis during the course of 2009 and to consult with stakeholders.

The study develops four scenarios and concludes that extending dimensions and weights would deliver economic, environmental and safety benefits, while a full extend implementation would have higher benefits than intermediate solutions. According to the consultants longer and heavier lorries would reduce the total number of kilometres driven. Despite being individually less safe and more polluting than smaller vehicles, their introduction would deliver cost savings and reduce road freight emissions. While a negative impact is found regarding the higher cost to road infrastructure (roads and bridges), the needed investment costs are estimated lower than the savings in terms of emissions and safety. The study suggests also that costs and benefits will be distributed very differently between the EU member states.

The Commission is however reluctant to propose a revision of EU rules partly due to the opposition of several large member states, thought to include Germany, France and the UK. The Commission had proposed revising the rules in its EU logistics action plan in 2007 and the European Parliament had called for the extension of dimensions and weights of lorries under certain conditions. In the meantime neighbouring member states could agree jointly to allow these lorries to operate between their territories, as is currently the case between Sweden and Finland.

To download related document please click here:

2009_01_weights_&_dimensions_vehicles.pdf (6183 KB)

To read our position paper please click here

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