ESTA launches a manifesto for transport

A five year manifesto for specialized transport in Europe has been published by the European Association of Abnormal Road Transport and Mobile Cranes (ESTA).

In the manifesto ESTA sets out its priorities for abnormal road transport over the next five years. It highlight the organisation’s medium-term strategic transport priorities from now until 2029.

The manifesto, titled Competitive and Harmonised Abnormal Transport in Europe, will help support ESTA’s mission to improve safety and efficiency in Europe’s heavy transport sector.

Commenting on the move Ton Klijn, ESTA director, said, “There is a growing level of political activity in the transport sector as our national leaders become increasingly aware of the importance of the work being carried out by our members.

“Now it is essential that those same political leaders appreciate the need for a co-ordinated approach that crosses European borders and boundaries if the potentially great gains for industry and our clients are to be captured and not lost.

“We hope our manifesto will help to drive that debate forward.”

Primary aims

Top priorities as outlined in the manifesto are as follows:

* Harmonised rules for abnormal road transport

* Access to safe and secure parking places

* Adoption of sector-specific rules and elimination of country-specific barriers

* Establishment of corridors for abnormal transport.

In support the above, ESTA is backing revision of the EU Weights and Transport Directive under discussion by the authorities in Brussels.

On the second priority ESTA has already been working on creation of a network of safe and secure parking places for abnormal transport to both boost the industry’s productivity and also help with the recruitment of the next generation of drivers.

In addition, given the growing importance of abnormal road transport between various European industrial areas, ESTA is increasingly hopeful that its calls for the introduction of “abnormal transport corridors” within the trans-European road network will begin to garner serious support.

Such corridors would allow abnormal transport to run smoothly and avoid potential damage of infrastructure, that is not adapted to abnormal road transport weights and dimensions.

In the manifesto’s introduction, ESTA writes, “We want Europe to be a place with clear and harmonised, sector-specific rules governing abnormal transport. With this Manifesto for the 2024-2029 legislature, we call on all EU decision makers to endorse our values and priorities.

“ESTA also has members that are outside the European Union. We hope and expect that the adoption of a sensible and efficient regulatory regime within the EU will lead to similar reforms and alignment within the wider European community and beyond.”

ESTA welcomes constructive feedback on the manifesto. Please direct it to the ESTA Office: officemanager@estaeurope.eu

See both versions of the manifesto at the ESTA website:.