Green moves at IRU talks
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• Hauliers and their representatives from all over the world met in Barcelona, Spain last week to counter charges that the industry does not care about the environment.
But delegates to the 23rd World Congress of the International Road Transport Union (IRU) warned that society must be prepared to pay more for road transport if it really wants greener transport operations.
The IRU chose Road Transport and the Environment as the theme of the five-day conference. IRU president Francisco Core11 told delegates: "Highway accidents have not increased because of heavy vehicles — truck and bus drivers are professionals."
Core11 added that the IRU awards diplomas to operators which have been accident-free for more than 10 years.
Robert Coleman, director general of the EC's transport directorate, said it was clear the growth in haulage was linked to growth in economies, but warned "the environment demands to be respected".
A Romanian haulier called the IRU's environmental concern "the sound of music of the future". But he added: "Unfortunately, in my country we cannot think of the environment — it is a question of survival."
Key to the conference were two studies commissioned by the IRU. In The Place of Road Haulage in Tomorrow's Europe, Dr Henk Den Harder from Holland's NEA Transport and Research Training found that road transport in Europe will double to 16.5 billion tonnes from 1986 to 2010.
NEA's report argues against over-investment in combined roadrail transport because 66% of journeys are less than 50Iun.
NEA expects pollution to fall by a third despite high haulage volumes due to the use of heavier vehicles.
The second IRU study, The Social Benefits of the Transport of Goods by Road, was presented by German delegate Dr Gerd Aberle, who spoke of the operational flexibility offered by lorries, which help to preserve jobs in rural regions.
IRU secretary general, Arend Westerlink added that in a time of high unemployment road transport is an area that is still creating jobs.