The Weights and Dimensions Directive (WDD) is one of the pillars of the Greening Freight Package (GFP), a bundle of measures proposed by the European Union to make all modes of transport more sustainable. However, finding a solution that satisfies all the parties involved seems to remain a Herculean task, as none of the various sectors want to be penalised.
The European Shippers’ Council (ESC) held a webinar on Tuesday, 30 January which highlighted all the disagreements between different industries. Hélder Pereira, project manager for the ESC, pointed out that the WDD is in contradiction with the modal shift advocated by the European Union. On the other hand, Raluca Marian, director of the International Road Transport Union, mentioned that “we appreciate the proposal and we hope to move forward with it”.
The Directive, for example, would allow an additional 4 tonnes of gross weight for trucks. In theory, this extra room shall be used to implement batteries and increase the fleet of electric vehicles across the European Union. However, this is not explicitly mentioned in the WDD, which does not include a plan to phase out diesel trucks. In other words, some fear that this extra weight will increase the competitiveness of the road freight sector without benefitting other modes, especially rail, as bigger trucks might not fit on freight trains. Nonetheless, Marian claimed this does not necessarily pose a problem for the shipping industry, which should not have issues in adapting.
Impact of WDD on Combined Transport
Another bone of contention is that the current version of the WDD might be somewhat detrimental to the rail industry, including combined transport. Various associations in Europe urged that the WDD should have been merged with the Combined Transport Directive, another pillar of the GFP. Many in the rail freight industry feel that the current WDD is just an incentive to use more trucks.
Ralf-Charley Schultze, president of UIRR, for example, underlined during the webinar that road freight in combined transport shall be deployed only for first and last-mile services, with rail as the option for the main operations. However, Marian pointed out that the rail freight sector is still facing significant challenges when it comes to reliability due to accidents and outdated infrastructure. “If these problems are resolved, rail will gain more attractiveness”, she explained.
Taller trucks: are they needed?
Another feature of the WDD is that it wants to increase the height limit for trucks from 4 to 4,30 metres. The extra 30 centimetres would allow trucks to carry 40-ft high-cube containers. However, as many already noticed, the great majority of EU Member States have a 4-metre height limit. Moreover, some struggle to find the utility of allowing higher trucks, especially in the context of intermodal transport. Akos Ersek, UIRR Chief Policy Advisor, argued that “the road carriage of high cube containers is already routinely done today with gooseneck trailers”.
The role of batteries
Aurora Garcia de Sandoval, the Spanish representative for the Traffic General Direction, stated that adding more capacity for trucks will make road freight more efficient. She added that batteries are expected to become lighter. If this happens, the extra weight, supposedly thought for the batteries, could be used to transport more goods. However, research into making lighter batteries is still in its embryonic stages, and there is no guarantee that a solution will be found relatively soon.
Thomas Fabien, Commercial Vehicles Director at ACEA, highlighted that there seems to be no sense of urgency when it comes to the implementation of the WDD and the GFP. He pointed out that having 2027 as a reference for the earliest implementation of the Directives would only leave three years until the goals set by the EU to reduce emissions by 2030. Fabien also stressed that the WDD is essential for the transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles, but the lack of clear guidelines from the EU might suggest otherwise. He also underlined that heavier and longer trucks will have a stronger impact on the road wear and tear and they will need bigger parking and charging facilities.
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