News

The Dutch have moved closer to permanently allowing longer, heavy trucks on their roads but legislation is still a long way off.

Trials of the European Modular System (EMS), in which two 25.25m drawbar rigs do the same work as three regular artics, ended this month. Now the Dutch have moved into what they call an "experience phase" which will last for at least another year.

A spokeswoman for the Dutch Transport Ministry reports: "The trials were very positive and now we have moved  to the next stage which will allow us to talk to government departments about extending the number of roads the vehicles use.

"We also need more time to change the legislation."

Dutch hauliers who want to test the vehicles themselves will no longer have to ask permission to do so.

Earlier this year Chris Kamphraath, test project manager of the Dutch Transport Ministry, said that the tests had been successful: "So far, the results... have been very positive as regards the environment and safety."

An EU Directive already allows EU operators to switch to longer combinations for operation in Sweden and Finland, which have a length limit of 25.25m. The limit in other EU countries is 18.85m for a drawbar rig and 16.5m for an artic.