UIP – the International Union of Wagon Keepers generally appreciates the European Commission’s efforts to facilitate intermodal transport, we however urge to take into consideration the arguments against the introduction of heavier, longer trucks, summarised in our position enclosed, in order to avoid creating unfair market advantages for road transport to the detriment of the greenest mode of transport: rail.
While we understand and support the objectives behind this initiative, i.e. to improve the environmental performance of commercial vehicles while safeguarding road safety, we are concerned about a potential reduction of incentives to use the more environmentally friendly mode of transport rail as a consequence. Increasing the allowable weights and dimensions of trucks may lead to unfair market distortion and an unintended shift to road. Contrary to the proposal’s goal this would even hamper wagon load and intermodal transport on rail and thereby have a negative impact on the EU’s climate balance.
Instead of making road transport more attractive for shippers to the detriment of rail freight’s competitiveness, we strongly call on the Commission to acknowledge that the EU’s Green Deal objectives can only be achieved by fostering a true shift to rail and working together with the sector on promoting that shift. Consequently, we hope the Commission will refrain from its original proposal and not increase the competitiveness of road in wagonload traffic without compensation for rail freight traffic.
The Commission needs to acknowledge that promoting the ‘Gigaliners’ would reduce the internal costs of road freight transport while at the same time increase the external costs borne by the European taxpayer.
Our further thoughts on this specific initiative may be found in the input paper available to download hereby.