ESTA Director Ton Klijn has made a renewed call for European governments to streamline and harmonize their heavy transport regulations – and boost infrastructure investment – to better support both industrial and military users.
He was speaking on Friday at the biennial Internationale Schwerlasttage in Hohenroda in Germany, a respected congress for the heavy‑lift and specialized transport industry that brings together users and manufacturers to discuss innovation, processes and successful projects.
Klijn outlined ESTA’s key objectives, including the revisions of the European Directive on weights and dimensions, the need for heavy goods corridors and the urgent requirement for safe and secure parking facilities for abnormal transport.
Specifically addressing his German audience, he called on the national and regional authorities to update and improve the VEMAGS permit system, harmonize the regulations for escorting transports and to introduce SERT, the Special European Registration for Trucks and Trailers, intended to reduce the paperwork and bureaucracy faced by the industry.
Along with German member association BSK, ESTA has been a strong supporter of the pan-industry campaign group VI-GST that has made great progress in raising the profile and requirements of the heavy transport sector with the German government.
But Klijn has warned that the German authorities should ensure that their own improvements are aligned with the regulatory changes being planned in Brussels, if they are to avoid the need for further and unnecessary revisions in the near future.
Apart from SERT, other measures backed by ESTA and included in the directive’s revisions include:
• a ‘one stop shop’ per country for permits
• standardised permit application forms
• use of electronic permits
• harmonisation of escorting rules and vehicle markings
• a ban on language requirements for drivers
• permitting systems to be available in all EU language
Klijn’s speech also addressed the importance of the moves to develop safe parking areas and heavy transport corridors for both industrial and miliary use.
The corridors would focus investment on key routes, linking railways, ports, airports and other logistics centres, all underpinned by common plans, procedures, and systems for information exchange
Speaking after the event, Ton Klijn said: “I was delighted to be invited to speak. It is clear that those of us working in heavy lifting and abnormal transport face very similar problems and issues no matter where we are in Europe.
“We stand ready to support our German colleagues and are sure that they will support us in our work to ensure an efficient and safe industry across Europe as a whole.”