Positions

As an experiment, longer heavier goods vehicles (LHVs) are allowed to use the secondary road network in the Netherlands from 1 November 2007. SWOV is not in favour of allowing LHVs access to other roads than motorways, because it will result in further mixing with vulnerable road users. This is in sharp conflict with the Sustainable Safety principles.

The present economic growth causes an increase in freight transport, which has an environmentally damaging effect. Previously it had already been decided to allow LHVs with a maximum length of 25.25 m on the Dutch main road network. The standard maximum length for freight vehicles is 18.75 m. Allowing access to LHVs reduces the number of lorries, which reduces vehicle emissions, according to Camiel Eurlings, the Dutch Minister of Transport. This also makes sense from a road safety point of view. However, SWOV expects the decision to admit LHVs to secondary roads may have the opposite effect, and indeed harm road safety on those roads.

It is SWOV's opinion that it is better for road safety if heavy vehicles (lorries with (semi‑)trailers, and therefore also LHVs) use the secondary road network as little as possible. Heavy traffic should only be allowed to use a main road network which is directly adjoined by industrial areas, terminals, et cetera. The only vehicles allowed access to the secondary road network should be the smaller freight vehicles which are attuned to urban traffic. By allowing LHVs wider access to the secondary road network, the minister thwarts a strategy, which from road safety considerations, should have reducing the number of heavy vehicles on the secondary road network as its aim.

The decision also gives an incorrect signal to municipalities and businesses. To put it mildly, a municipality is not stimulated to push back heavy traffic on the sec, for example by only using or constructing industrial areas directly adjoining the main road network. Companies are no longer encouraged to carry out their transport using terminals and transfer.   

In practice, the new proposal means that LHVs can for instance also use those secondary network roads without any separate bicycle facilities. For this situation SWOV refers to the Sustainable Safety vision which urges limiting the mixing of heavy traffic with vulnerable road users as much as possible.

SWOV argues the necessity of starting a study into the feasibility and the consequences of separating heavy vehicles from the other traffic, and from slow traffic in particular. This study will need to investigate all different aspects: economic interest, accessibility, environment, and safety.

The local road authority judges a road's suitability for LHVs. A guideline they can use is being drawn up; SWOV is one of the parties involved in its formulation.