Easing of truck laws blocked

Date: 28/01/1999

By Renée Cordes

EU GOVERNMENTS are deadlocked over a European Commission proposal to ease national restrictions on heavy goods trucks using Europe's roads during the night and at weekends.

Germany is leading the charge against the institution plan, which would exempt some lorry drivers transporting goods to and from railway stations, airports and ports from the restrictions.

The aim of the move is to allow truck drivers who are only transporting goods for part of the journey to deliver their loads to rail, air and sea freight carriers more quickly. It is also designed to harmonise European regulations on lorry traffic, which currently vary widely from country to country.

But it has run into strong opposition from Germany, France, Italy and Spain, which fear that easing the rules could cause greater environmental damage and an increase in traffic accidents.

"The problem is that it is a very politically sensitive issue locally and regionally," said one diplomat, pointing out that in Germany, truck restrictions were a matter for state governments.

EU countries furthest from the centre of Europe such as the UK and Greece, whose drivers often have to travel greater distances to deliver goods, claim the existing restrictions in some member states are already hurting them economically. They also fear that harmonised EU rules would force some countries with laxer regimes to tighten their regulations.

"For those of us who don't happen to live close to our markets, these restrictions cause us endless grief," said one official.

Maarten Labberton, head of the International Road Transport Union's EU delegation, said truck drivers should be encouraged to use existing roads more efficiently rather than having their movements restricted on certain days of the week.