National campaigns

Many organisations from across Europe and from all sections of society have joined the NO MEGA TRUCKS campaign to prevent the admission of mega trucks in Europe. A lot of these organisations are also working on the national level against longer, heavier vehicles. Here is an overview of successful national campaigns against mega trucks.

Allianz pro Schiene: No to “Monstertrucks”
Allianz pro Schiene (Pro-Rail Alliance) is the German alliance for the promotion of environmentally friendly and safe rail transport. It unites 16 non-profit organisations: environmental groups, consumer associations, automobile clubs and trade unions. Allianz pro Schiene has early identified the threat of longer, heavier trucks and brought the topic to the German public. The campaign against “Monstertrucks” - a term that the organisation established in the media - was successful: The Transport ministers' conference in autumn 2007 decided against the admission of Gigaliners in Germany.

Freight on Rail: "No to longer heavier lorries"
Freight on Rail is a partnership between trade unions, the rail freight industry and Campaign for Better Transport which promotes the economic, environmental and social benefits of transferring freight to rail. The common goal of the members: shift transportation from the roads to the environmentally friendly and safe railways. In the past the weights and dimensions of lorries were also raised in the UK. The result: more truck traffic, more pollution and more accidents - the opposite of what the proponents promised. The same arguments are now being by the truck lobby to enforce Gigaliners in Europe. Therefore Freight on Rail says "No to longer heavier lorries”.

ARBÖ “Stop Gigaliners”
The automobile, motorbike and cycling association in Austria ARBÖ represents some 490,000 members in Austria and represents the interests of all road users. ARBÖ is a member of European Automobile Clubs (EAC), which is one of the initiators of the NO MEGA TRUCKS campaign. With its national campaign "Stop Gigaliners" the ARBÖ wants to draw attention to the dangers of a possible admission of Gigaliners in Europe. Mega trucks will make road transport more cost effective, for the alpine transit country of Austria this means more trucks, more congestion and more accidents.

VCÖ: “Gigaliners don’t solve traffic issues”
The Traffic Club of Austria (VCÖ) is committed to safe and sustainable mobility in Austria. On the subject of traffic, issues like health, environment and prosperity remain far too often unattended in the view of the VCÖ - the mobility of people is decreasing and traffic problems are increasing. The VCÖ notes: Gigaliners are not a solution to traffic problems but they create new ones. In a fact sheet the VCÖ has compiled the consequences of an admission of mega trucks. The results: The risk of accidents rises, goods will be shifted from rail to road and road infrastructure must be rebuilt at the taxpayer’s expense.

vida: “Gigaliners don’t solve problems but create many new ones”
The Austrian trade union vida represents about 158,000 workers from various occupational groups. In transport it represents the whole sector: road, rail and air. vida is a member of the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) - one of the initiators of the NO MEGA TRUCKS campaign. Early the union had recognized the threat of mega trucks and set up a network against the road monsters in Austria. The additional traffic from Gigaliners leads to additional damage to people and the environment and costs the national economy more than it earns. Important for the union: Gigaliners erase jobs – in the truck sector and at the railways.

VCS: “Stop 60 ton trucks”
As the second largest traffic association of Switzerland the VCS represents around 116,000 members. Since 1979 the VCS is engaged for a human-friendly and sustainable mobility. The resistance against a threatening admission of Gigaliners in neighbouring countries is also part of a sustainable transport policy. Just recently Switzerland, that is famous for its railway friendly transport policy, came under pressure by the EU and performed a raise of truck weights to 40 tons. Soon it could be 25 meter trucks with up to 60 tons. The VCS vehemently opposes the introduction of mega trucks and has started a petition against the road monsters.

The VCS campaign video: “Train smashed by Gigaliner”

Many organisations in Europe have started their own national campaigns against mega trucks.

Where in Europe are the Mega Truck opponents? A European map points it out.

At this point we take a closer look at the European network of Mega Truck opponents.