Revision W&D Directive
22028
2022
TML conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the EU Directive 96/53 and its amendments, focusing on the impact on road safety, infrastructure and environmental objectives. We coordinated the project and were responsible for the literature review, analysing the application, performance and impacts of the directive in all EU member states.
Road transport generates significant negative externalities, particularly due to its impact on road safety, infrastructure, and the environment. To help manage these externalities, heavy vehicles (such as trucks, buses, and coaches) must comply with rules on their maximum weights and dimensions for road safety reasons and to prevent damage to infrastructure. The EU has adopted common rules (such as those in Directive 96/53/EC and its amendments) to ensure that there are no barriers to the movement of commercial vehicles between member states and to safeguard the internal market for road transport. In addition, these measures are intended to prevent excessive road damage and ensure the integrity of the infrastructure and the manoeuvrability of vehicles. The directive sets the weight and dimension standards for HDVs authorised to carry out international transport, as well as the weight limits for the vehicles allowed in international traffic.
The purpose of the current study was to conduct a comprehensive, critical, and empirically based ex-post evaluation of the application, performance and impacts of the W&D Directive 96/53/EC and its amendments (Decision (EU) 2019/984 and Regulation (EU) 2019/1242). The study evaluated the main objectives of the directive, namely road safety, internal transport market, infrastructure, drivers' working conditions, transport and energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas reduction. The evaluation took into account possible legal shortcomings that led to market failures, current technological developments, and current market status and forecasts. The evaluation extended to all EU Member States and covered the period from 17 September 1997 to 31 December 2021 from the full implementation of the W&D Directive.
TML coordinated the project and was responsible for the literature review (among others).
Road transport generates significant negative externalities, particularly due to its impact on road safety, infrastructure, and the environment. To help manage these externalities, heavy vehicles (such as trucks, buses, and coaches) must comply with rules on their maximum weights and dimensions for road safety reasons and to prevent damage to infrastructure. The EU has adopted common rules (such as those in Directive 96/53/EC and its amendments) to ensure that there are no barriers to the movement of commercial vehicles between member states and to safeguard the internal market for road transport. In addition, these measures are intended to prevent excessive road damage and ensure the integrity of the infrastructure and the manoeuvrability of vehicles. The directive sets the weight and dimension standards for HDVs authorised to carry out international transport, as well as the weight limits for the vehicles allowed in international traffic.
The purpose of the current study was to conduct a comprehensive, critical, and empirically based ex-post evaluation of the application, performance and impacts of the W&D Directive 96/53/EC and its amendments (Decision (EU) 2019/984 and Regulation (EU) 2019/1242). The study evaluated the main objectives of the directive, namely road safety, internal transport market, infrastructure, drivers' working conditions, transport and energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas reduction. The evaluation took into account possible legal shortcomings that led to market failures, current technological developments, and current market status and forecasts. The evaluation extended to all EU Member States and covered the period from 17 September 1997 to 31 December 2021 from the full implementation of the W&D Directive.
TML coordinated the project and was responsible for the literature review (among others).
