European Study on Heavy Goods Vehicles' Weights and Dimensions(2008)

This paper shows how Setra was a member of the consortium that carried out the 2008 Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (European Commission) (DG TREN) study on heavy goods vehicles' weights and dimensions. DG TREN was especially in charge of assessing effects on infrastructure (bridges and roads) and it studied the way the European modular concept could be used, and its likely consequences on modal shift. The objective of this paper was to provide advice on the optimal weights and dimensions of heavy vehicles. The European modular concept has been particularly examined, among other possibilities. The first stage was collecting opinions by means of literature reviews, workshops with stakeholders, and questionnaires. Assessing demand and modal split, the paper predicts a decrease of railway traffic bounded by –4% and –15% and for inland waterways. The variation of the number of vehicles kilometers is foreseen to be bounded by - 13% and + 1% and the assessment of road safety aspects did not reveal an inherent increase of safety risk in general, but more research is needed. The effect on infrastructure depends on the number of axles and their distribution. Some combination of shapes and weight could have important effects on pavement and bridges. The energy consumption, thus CO2 and noxious emissions, are predicted to be reduced.