European Road Agreements
Page 36
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ENVISAGING a progressive expenditure of 5.000m. dollars on European roads by the governments concerned, agreements on road-traffic matters have been reached in Geneva by Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia. Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Holland, Norway, Sweden. Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the U.S.A. and Yugoslavia.
One agreement specifies roads on which may be used vehicles of dimensions and weights listed in the annex to the road convention signed at Geneva last year. Another lays down the routes on which vehicles exceeding these dimensions and weights may be used. A further agreement supplements the 1949 convention and protocol on road signs and signals and rules of the road.
The countries mentioned have also signed a declaration on the construction of international traffic arteries. This includes an annex of over 30.000 miles of 'roads in 20 States and another annex of the standards to which these arteries will be built and maintained.
Agreements on the lifting of restrictions on road freedom have been extended sine die. They are to continue until a more formal agreement on development replaces them. These agreements cover, inter alia, the freedom of transit for goods and freedom for international tourist traffic.
Two agreements on vehicle dimensions and weights have been signed. One provides a permissible overall width of 8.2 ft., an overall height of 12 ft. 6 ins, and overall lengths for various types from 33 ft. for two-axled vehicles to 72 ft. for a two-trailer combination. A supplementary note increases the lengths and heights of passenger vehicles so far as France, Belgium and Luxembourg are concerned. The maximum permissible weight on an axle is 17.000 lb. and 32.000 lb. for tandem axles.