Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 96/53/EC laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic"

(2001/C 144/05)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 96/53/EC laying down for certain road vehicles circulating within the Community the maximum authorised dimensions in national and international traffic and the maximum authorised weights in international traffic (COM(2000) 137 final - 2000/0060 (COD);

having regard to the decision of the European Council of 8 May 2000 to consult the Committee, in accordance with Article 265.1 and Article 71 of the Treaty establishing the European Community;

having regard to the decision of the President of the Committee of the Regions on 23 June 2000 to instruct Commission 3 for Trans-European Networks, Transport and the Information Society to draw up the opinion;

having regard to the draft opinion adopted by Commission 3 on 8 November 2000 (CdR 259/2000 rev. 1) (rapporteur: Dr Walsh, Member of West Sussex County Council, UK/ELDR),

adopted the following opinion unanimously at its 36th plenary session on 13 and 14 December 2000 (meeting of 13 December 2000).

The Committee of the Regions

1. urges the Commission to have regard to the implications on local and regional authorities on the impact of the introduction and enforcement of the proposed amended directive and requests that Member States be allowed until 31 December 2015 to implement the Directive;

2. points out that not all local authorities are able to restrict the operation of inappropriate length vehicles on highways, nor to enforce such restrictions;

3. welcomes the Commission's proposals to increase the maximum length of three-axle buses to 15 metres to ensure that the longer rigid buses will cause no greater damage to road infrastructure and bridges than 12 m buses. The Committee also hopes that, as is already the case in many countries, a maximum length of 13,5 metres will be allowed for two-axle buses;

4. welcomes the main benefits of harmonised rules on bus length which are expected to bring more competition both in the provisions of bus transport and in the manufacture of buses, thus ensuring the possibility of cabotage without national hindrance;

5. points out that using 15 m buses may reduce the number of buses needed on long and congested routes, having a positive impact on the environment and making operations more economic. The impact is not so great on short journeys within cities where the effects will be negligible;

6. points out that a second door is required in 15 m buses to reduce loading delays and for passengers convenience which causes a problem of alighting safely from the second door because of the difficulty of aligning a long bus up close and parallel to the kerb and sometimes because some bus stop kerbs cannot be made long enough which will fail to meet the access requirements of disabled people and those with reduced mobility;

7. points out that on some routes, in big cities, medium sized old towns and in small villages the use of 15 m rigid buses creates problems for some passengers and can add to traffic congestion because of the slowness of manoeuvring the buses in tight situations;

8. points out that a great many bridges have weight restrictions with the result that 15 m buses could not be used on those sections of road;

9. points out that, in many cases, the present length of bus bays and bus parking spaces on motorways, as well as the required minimum radiuses of roundabouts and mountain roads, are not adequate for longer buses. Modifying these bus bays, parking spaces, roundabouts and mountain roads would be difficult or impossible due to lack of space, especially in urban areas.

Brussels, 13 December 2000.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos Chabert