1. Promoting a sustainable transport policy
Presentation by
Paul LAEREMANS
IRU President
First European Parliamentary Symposium on Transports
Brussels, 3 December 2007
Dear excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2007

2. Thinking globally - acting locally through its international network
Members 72 Countries
Created 1948
8 Founder States:
The International Road Transport Union (IRU) founded in Geneva in 1948, is the international organisation which upholds and promotes the interests of the road transport industry worldwide.
Via its international network of 180 national Member Associations in 72 countries, the IRU represents the operators of buses, coaches, taxis and trucks on the five continents.
The IRU has a truly global vision, and at the same time the IRU is able to act not only internationally, but also locally with its members and the governments by “working together for a better future”.
Belgium
Denmark
France
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden UK
Switzerland
Updated August 2007
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2007

3. A sustainable transport policy must be based on IRU 3 “i” strategy
1. innovation – to develop ever more effective “at-source” technical measures & operating practices to reduce environmental impact.
2. incentives – to encourage faster introduction by transport operators of best available technology and practices.
3. infrastructure – without free-flowing traffic, the above measures are useless. Adequate investment in new infrastructure to remove bottlenecks and missing links, plus fullest use of existing infrastructure, are essential.
Not only today but for more than 10 years, the promotion of sustainable transport has been a priority issue for the IRU.
In this regard the IRU has adopted a sustainable transport policy based on the IRU 3 « i » strategy (innovation, incentives and infrastructure), because according to scientific research, such a strategy is the most cost-effective way of achieving sustainable development in road transport.
This IRU 3 « i » strategy was so well designed and effectively applied by the industry that it was not only endorsed but also recommended by the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) to be emulated by other industry groups.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2007

4. Combined transport is not the solution for CO2
Any human activity, including combined transport, has a negative effect on the environment.
Even doubling rail capacity by 2010, which is unrealistic, will only reduce the growth of road transport from 38% to 33%.
Without nuclear energy, combined transport is not better, and can even be worse, than pure road transport in terms of CO2 emissions.
Let us have a quick look at transport realities:
Firstly:
Any human activity has a negative effect on the environment. This is also true for transport or combined transport. Therefore, our task should not be to only protect the environment by supressing any human activty or to supress any transport, but our task is rather should rather be to optimise any human activity and therfore any transport mode.
Secondly:
Today, the current uniform opinion states that because railways have a much better record of pollution including CO2, they should be developed, including through subsidies. However, the reality demonstrates that even if railways could double their capacity, road transport, to met the economic demand, would still increase by 33% until 2010.
Thirdly:
In addition due to the major succesful technical progress in road transport, it is proven today, that combined transport is not better, than pure door-to-door road transport in terms of energy consumption or CO2 emissions.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2007

5. Intervention needed to develop Ro-Ro transport
The IRU has always been in favour of the development of combined or multi-modal transport to have addition additional transport capacity.
However, for the IRU the development for environmental reasons of the multi-modal transport is a myth. Indeed, in most cases the enviornmental performances of mulitmodal transport is not better but even worse than those of the door-to-door road transport.
If today the IRU is committed to promote amongst its Members the development of the use of Ro-Ro transport of trucks, it is to obtain additional capacity, to reduce traffic at EU borders, to reduce road congestion and to reduce accidents.
This is why to accelerate this objectives of the IRU, the EU Bodies, including the Commission, should provide their support and financial help to the same extent as they bring regular support to the other modes such as rail transport, including combined transport, inland navigation and ports.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2007

6. European Modular Concept – Supporting Co-Modality
The use of the European Modular Concept is feasible and brings good results.
Reduction in number of trips by 32%
Reduction of fuel consumption by 15%
Reduction of CO2 emission by 15%
Less road wear and more space
If the development of intermodality does not reduce the pollution and does not contribute to the CO2 problem as mentioned before, the development of the modular vehicule concept through the application of the IRU 3 « i » strategy based on innovation, incentives and infrastructure is able to bring the following succesful results:
- Reduction in number of trips by 32%
- Reduction of fuel consumption by 15%
- Reduction of CO2 emission by 15%
- Less road wear and more space
In conclusion the modular concept offers BETTER TRANSPORT rather than MORE TRANSPORT.
This is why the European Commission should use the results of the current modular concept tests to promote, among the EU Member states as well as at the international level, the harmonisation of the various combinations of vehicles, allowing their interchangeability, which is essential to ensure the development of co-modality.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2007

7. Thank you for helping me to help you.
In conclusion, I am very pleased to note that [for the first time] the European Parliament is helping to implement further the IRU 3 « i » strategy, which has been since more than 10 years the IRU strategy for a sustainable transport policy.
Thank you for helping me to help you.
Thank you for your attention.
© International Road Transport Union (IRU) 2007