EC aim is for road users to pay
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• Hauliers can expect to pay substantially more to use the roads if European transport recommendations are implemented over the next 15 years.
Addressing the Transfrigoroute AGM last week, John Berry, senior transport engineer for the European Commission, outlined the Commission's feeling that transport costs too little.
"The idea that transport is too cheap has been gaining a foothold in Brussels," he said. "In future everybody will have to become more accountable for damage caused to the roads and pollution to the environment" He added that the EC will try to develop pan-European road pricing and tolling systems to standardise costs throughout the EU.
Further details will emerge when a green paper is published at the end of the year outlining the Commission's targets for pricing and pollution levels.
This paper is being put together by the ministries of industry, environment and transport as part of a campaign to reduce pollution levels by 30% over the next 15 years in line with World Health Organisation recommendations.
Berry says the EC wants to increase the emphasis on rail and sees road pricing as the main way of getting vehicles off the roads.