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• The European Commission has called for swift political agreement

8th November 2001
Page 10
Page 10, 8th November 2001 — • The European Commission has called for swift political agreement
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on a range of draft proposals promoting the safety of road tunnels and truck operations as part of its response to the latest transAlpine disaster at the St Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland.

EU Transport Commi

ssioner Loyola de Palacio has called for "concerted action" between the EU and the Swiss government, implementing initiatives "with vigour and as rapidly as possible."

In particular, the Commissioner stressed that Brussels was preparing to table a directive on tunnel security in the new year in a bid to harmonise technical standards and road traffic regulations for long road tunnels in the EU.

Equipment and systems covered would include accident detection systems, ventilation and extraction fans, refuges and evacuation routes. As for traffic rules, the directive would harmonise access restrictions for vehicles with dangerous loads, minimum distances between vehicles, and two-way driving.

There could also be rules on the training of emergency service personnel and contingency plans.

Existing proposals for truck safety that de Palacio would like to see agreed as soon as possible include the introduction of digital tachographs, speed limiters, and working time rules.

She also called on EU ministers to support proposals

within the recently announced priority TransEuropean Network Scheme list, where they promoted the use of rail freight for transAlpine journeys.

Given the long-term closure of the St Gotthard tunnel, she is also urging Swiss and Austrian authorities to loosen the eco-point system which limits commercial traffic using such routes.

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Locations: Brussels

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