81% opposed to bigger lorries

After France’s transport minister Dominique Bussereau last year said he wanted to ‘experiment’ with the 25-metre lorries, T&E member FNE commissioned an opinion poll.

With a sample of more than 1000 respondents, 81% said they were against. In addition, 79% said they were concerned about the safety effects of allowing mega-trucks.

FNE’s transport officer Michel Dubrommel said: ‘The government’s environment policy is aimed at reducing long-distance freight transport
by road, so allowing mega-trucks would be a big step in the wrong direction. They would be bad for safety, and would damage railfreight which will not help efforts to reduce emissions. Given how unpopular they are, the French government should abandon all idea of even experimenting with them.’

Opinion polls carried out in Germany and Great Britain have shown similar opposition to the longer lorries.