Maximum weights and dimensions of heavy road vehicles

Key EESC messages

• The EESC welcomes the Commission proposal to revise – after 17 years – the current Directive on weights and dimensions of certain vehicles. The proposal intends to keep pace with technological progress in order to have cleaner and safer vehicles.
• At the same time the EESC notes that some critical issues need to be clarified so that the revision can be coherent with the already existing legislation, avoiding any unnecessarily complexity and/or discrimination.
• In what concerns the rear flaps the EESC warmly recommends their installation to be included in the current scheme of European Type Approval, avoiding the National Type Approval that would constitute a step back respect the WVTA (Whole Vehicle Type Approval).
• The weight exemption granted only to vehicles with two axles and electric or hybrid propulsion should be extended to vehicles with three axles or more and to other vehicles utilising alternative tractions and fuels when the relevant technical solutions imply extra weight thereby reducing the payload capacity.
   

Contact the TEN Section secretariat for more information