The European Parliament’s transport committee has postponed a vote that had been scheduled for today on design rules of lorries. The proposed design changes would make lorry cabs slightly longer, enabling a rounded, aerodynamic nose as well as great improvements to driver’s visibility and lorry crash performance. These changes have been delayed due to disagreements over whether to allow so-called ‘megalorries’ [1] to cross national borders. The committee vote has been postponed until 18 March.
Receive them directly in your inbox. Delivered once a week.
Reacting on the delay, William Todts, policy officer at T&E, said: “The proposed changes to lorry design would be revolutionary. Lorries would become much safer, saving hundreds of lives but they’d also burn less diesel, making this a very attractive proposition for hauliers. We need safer and cleaner lorries now, not in the far future. ”
Notes to editors:
[1] ‘Megalorries’ are like road trains as long as medium-sized aircraft. The EU’s current rules for international transport say no lorry can be longer than 18.75 metres or have a fully laden weight greater than 40 tonnes.
