Mega Truck Studies European Commission

In its 'Freight transport logistics action plan' the EU Commission has already shown itself to be open to the idea of increasing the size and weight of heavy goods vehicles. This predetermination in favour of mega trucks was however stopped by the EU Council of Transport Ministers at the end of 2007.

But the Commission stuck to its agenda: New studies should support the pro mega truck course of the Commission - despite scepticism in the European Parliament and the Council of Transport Ministers, and although there are already similar national studies.

The procedure and publication of the study fell into a scandal: facts were ignored and after the quiet publication of the study on the Commission's website it turned out that the study was full of factual errors. Especially piquant: Until now the Commission rejects to correct the demonstrable failures of the study.

On this basis, the consultants come to quaint results: they acknowledge the negative effects of a mega-truck admission: huge infrastructure costs, traffic safety risks and the shift of transports from environmentally friendly modes of transport to the road. Nevertheless they recommend the Europe-wide admission of mega trucks. The strange conclusion: Mega trucks are a benefit for the society – because they make road transport cheaper.

After vehement protests of organisations involved in the No Mega Trucks Campaign and various EU member states against this terrible perception, it became silent in Brussels - at least in public.

The more mega trucks the better for all?

During a workshop in Brussels on 24 June 2009, the Commission then came up with another paper. In the presented report "Longer and Heavier Vehicles for freight transport" (original title: "Introducing mega-trucks. A review for policy makers"), the Commission again clearly advocates the approval of mega trucks. The tenor: The more mega-trucks, the better for all:

Overall the Commission cares little that detailed studies on the impact of mega trucks on infrastructure and traffic safety already exist. One must suspect this is probably because these studies are critical to longer and heavier trucks. In its own study from January 2009 the EU Commission stated critical aspects, even though only in fine print: The costs of the reconstruction of bridges are estimated at 46 billion Euro and safety risks are admitted: „The safety of the individual LHV is worse than that of a smaller truck”.

Since then the Commission retreated into silence. But the supposed quietness is a false impression: The EU-Commission wants to assign another study concerning the admission of mega trucks in Europe at the beginning of 2010.