In view of the Combined Transport Directive (CTD) amendment, the EU Commission proposed an alternative definition of combined transport services. In the legislators’ view, combined transport operations should include intermodal freight operations that carry out at least 40 per cent of transport without using trucks. For UIRR and the intermodal sector, the definition could be simpler and easier to adapt to the goals set for 2035, e.g., a combined transport ratio of 60 per cent non-road and 40 per cent road haulage.
In particular, the 60:40 ratio that the EU Commission has proposed is “theoretically possible,” according to industry association UIRR. However, the association and several industry players, including shippers and logistics service providers, have criticised it since they consider it impractical in everyday use.
“The definition should give a simple, harmonised and undisputed Europe-wide solution while eliminating uncertainties,” comments UIRR, which has proposed a different approach to pave the way for decreased truck involvement in combined transport operations, also considering “anticipated enhancements in terminal density and rail infrastructure development,” by 2035.
Goal for a 60 per cent ratio of non-road operations
Instead of a 60:40 ratio with the majority of transport carried out by trucks, which the Commission proposed, UIRR counterargued a 50:50 regime that could pave the way for 2035. By 2035, says UIRR, the combined transport ratio should be 60:40 again, with most of the transport carried out by non-road transport modes.
By proposing a 50:50 combined transport ratio, UIRR aims for the intermodal sector to achieve “an at least 50 per cent non-road to a less-than-50 per cent road-leg regime”. In doing so, the association believes that such a definition will be practically easier to implement by intermodal operators, which will rely on a clear and unified calculation mechanism that does not provide space for ambiguities.
Additionally, the 50:50 formula, which provides some margin for non-road transport legs to occupy a larger part than just 50 per cent, would be more practical in achieving the 60:40 ratio by 2035 without completely reversing the transport mode percentages. As a result, the transition to combined transport mode share goals will be smoother.
As for the preferred 60:40 ratio, the idea behind that is that it will also provide some flexibility for intermodal operations. By maintaining this regime from 2035 onwards, UIRR believes that even in cases where such proportion cannot be maintained due to insufficient terminal density or infrastructure impairments, then the percentages can be adjusted to the needs of each service and increase or even decrease the road legs of combined transport operations accordingly.
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