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Measures to improve fuel efficiency also reduce vehicle noise, T&E report reveals

After three postponements the Environment Committee of the European Parliament will finally vote next week on noise limits for vehicles. Contrary to industry concerns, a new report published today by Transport & Environment (T&E), Europe’s sustainable transport campaigners, shows that making cars more fuel efficient is fully compatible with making them quieter too.

The role of the Commission in advancing the road pricing agenda cannot be understimated

"The role of the Commission in advancing the road pricing agenda cannot be underestimated", T&E Director Jos Dings stated at the Conference on fair and efficient road pricing organised by the European Commission on 5 Dec:

Road pricing is progressing because the list of its advantages is impressive. No wonder ever more countries in Europe are choosing for road user charging, and we are having a conference about its future.

Tyre label has vital lessons for fuel efficiency in road and air transport

Opinion by Nina Renshaw - T&E deputy director There aren’t many downsides to working at T&E, but if I have to name one, it is that we don’t often have the joy of seeing the fruits of our work in the real world. Mostly you don’t see less energy use or fewer emissions, and you see even fewer economic incentives at work when walking around town. So 1 November will be a rare moment.

Commission reinterpretation on megatrucks is ‘undemocratic’ and ‘creates confusion’

EU rules governing the length and weight of lorries have been thrown into confusion by a unilateral ‘reinterpretation’ of an EU directive by the transport commissioner Siim Kallas. The commissioner’s move appears to abandon all length limits and opens the way for so-called ‘megatrucks’. A senior MEP has rejected the commissioner’s ‘reinterpretation’ and says the European Parliament is likely to challenge the decision, while T&E has described it as ‘undemocratic, confusing and incomprehensible’.

Lorries set to become more aerodynamic

The EU has agreed to allow aerodynamic devices to be fitted to lorries that could cut fuel consumption and emissions of long-distance lorry journeys by 5-8%.

Hungary lorry charge

Environmental groups in Hungary fear a surge of lorries on country roads after the Hungarian government agreed a toll for trucks that is limited to motorways and a few main roads. The toll will be a distance- and pollution-based charge coming into effect in July 2013.

EU citizens call for quick action to curb traffic noise

Traffic noise is a serious concern for Europeans, and the EU must act quickly to tackle the issue. That is the call from citizens from several European countries in a video clip published today (1) for International Noise Awareness Day.

Busy main road at night, overlooked by social housing

Swedish lorry move shows Brussels ‘hasn’t thought this through’

With the battle over whether oversized lorries, known as ‘megatrucks’, should be allowed to cross EU national borders, an extension of the fight is now emerging as Sweden has given the green light for even longer lorries to operate between Göteborg and Malmö. T&E is worried that the Commission’s proposed ‘reinterpretation’ of existing weights and dimensions rules for lorries would effectively leave Europe with no limits at all.

Support for lorry and van limits

More than 80% of respondents to a Commission survey are in favour of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from heavy vehicles, and two thirds say it must be done through legislation and not left to voluntary measures.

Road interests launch Green Freight initiative

An alliance of road freight interests has launched ‘Green Freight Europe’, aimed at working out a reliable method of measuring emissions from lorries. The group of hauliers, transport logistics firms and companies that use lorries to transport goods set out its scheme last month in the presence of the EU transport commissioner Siim Kallas. Estimates of today’s fuel efficiency of lorries vary widely.

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