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Improving road infrastructure and traffic flows

IRU Resolution
adopted by the Council of Direction at its meeting in Brussels on 18 May 2000
The mobility of people and goods is dependent on the efficient use of existing traffic
infrastructure, and the modernisation and expansion of traffic infrastructure to meet the
future demand for transport services efficiently and cost-effectively. This applies in
particular to roads, since road transport accounts for more than 90% of all passenger
transport and more than 80% of all goods transport in most countries in terms of
passengers and tonnes carried. Impediments to mobility such as traffic restrictions, road
blockades, closures of certain road infrastructure sections, or congestion due to
bottlenecks in road infrastructure ignore the fact that

road infrastructure investments are a vital prerequisite for improving road safety,
(see annex 1)

revenues from the transport of goods by road (fuel taxes, vehicle ownership taxes,
road user charges) more than cover expenditure on road building and maintenance,
as do revenues from the transport by bus and coach (see annex 2)

congested traffic leads to a significant increase of fuel consumption by a factor of up


to 3, (see annex 3)

on average, only 0.5% of total land surface in most countries is used for road
infrastructure, (see annex 4)

the economic benefits of road infrastructure investments are 29 times its investment
costs, and thus the highest of all infrastructure sectors, including other transport
modes, (see annex 5)

the economic cost of impediments to road transport (congestion, border delays,


traffic bans, blockades etc.) amounts to 0.5% of GDP, i.e. for the European Union
approximately 40 bn per year. (see annex 6)

the permanent closure of a main traffic artery such as the Mont Blanc tunnel would
not improve the air quality in the region, nor reduce the risk for accidents, but would
lead to significant increases of transport volumes at other crossing points and would
increase the cost of transport for shippers by 25% (which corresponds to extra costs
for the Italian economy alone of over 500 million Euro per year). (see annexes 7 to
10).

In view of the negative impacts inefficient use or insufficient provision of road


infrastructure has on the sustainable - i.e. the economic, social and environmental development of societies, the IRU calls upon governments to maintain the free choice of
transport modes and to take all measures necessary to improve mobility of people and
goods, and in particular, to

increase funds for road infrastructure investments both at national and multinational
level,

allocate revenues raised from road transport to the necessary maintenance and
expansion of road infrastructure,

cut back and harmonise traffic restrictions, and to stop taking measures that restrain
the mobility of people and goods,

take all necessary measures to promote the harmonisation, simplification and


acceleration of border crossing procedures, and to improve the quality and increase
the capacity of border crossing related infrastructure,

take preventive measures to avoid road blockades by protesters,

equip tunnels with modern safety devices and monitoring techniques, in particular,
and for strategic reasons, with two separate tubes, one for each direction.
Geneva/Brussels, 18 May 2000

Working together for a better future

Length of motorways and fatal accidents


in EU15 countries (1970=100%)
350
Length of motorways
Fatal accidents

300

291
245

250
192
200
150
100

100

50

81

70

57

1980

1990

1996

0
1970

Source: EU Commission

www.iru.org

Road safety needs to be increased through improvements to the


infrastructure, to vehicles and to human behaviour.
Statistics show that road infrastructure is an important prerequisite for
improving road safety, particularly for reducing fatal accidents.
However, investment in road infrastructure is a field outside the control of
the transport industry. It falls under the authority of governments.
To continue the long-term trend of declining fatal accident figures, Europe
must increase its efforts to improve road infrastructure capacities.
Yet, investments in the European Union are falling at the expense of the
construction of road networks which meet the needs of safe mobility for
people and goods.

Annex

Working together for a better future


Revenues from goods road transport and road expenditure
allocated to goods vehicles (in billion Euro)
5.89

UK

2.82

revenue
expenditure

0.96
0.84

Sweden

1.64

Netherlands

0.7
7.75

Germany

6.88
9.85

France

8.59
0

10

12

Source: Prognos

www.iru.org

The figures show the results of a study undertaken by the Prognos AG


on behalf of the IRU. They indicate the revenues from the transport of
goods by road (diesel fuel tax, vehicle ownership tax, road user charges,
etc.), the expenditure for road building and maintenance allocated to
goods vehicles, and the extent to which revenues cover expenditure.
The calculated ratios leave no doubt that trucks pay their way, and even
more. The corresponding revenue over expenditure cover ratios for
goods road transport are
113% for Germany,
115% for France and Sweden,
209% for the UK, and
233% for the Netherlands,
i.e., in all researched countries, the revenues from the transport of goods
by road are higher than the road expenditure allocated to trucks.

Annex

Working together for a better future

Average fuel consumption of a 40 tonne-truck in


free traffic flow versus congested traffic (l/100 km)
100
84

52
50
28

0
Speed = 50 km/h with no
stop

Speed = 50 km/h with 1 stop


per km

Speed = 50 km/h with 2


stops per km

Source: VDA

www.iru.org

If infrastructure investments fail to keep pace with economic demand,


and if best use is not made of existing infrastructure, environmental
initiatives which the road transport industry has taken or is prepared to
take will be in vain if vehicles, designed to obtain peak performance in
terms of low emissions and fuel consumption, are left to idle on
congested routes and in bottlenecks.
Congested traffic leads to a significant increase of fuel consumption
by a factor of up to 3 with all its negative effects on CO2 and gaseous
emissions.

Annex

Working together for a better future

Land use for roads in Europe


(% of total land surface)

www.iru.org

Source: CE based on Eurostat


and IRF

Contrary to popular belief, the percentage surface area covered by


roads, even in small densely populated countries like the Netherlands,
does not match public perception.
On average, only 0.5% of total land in Europe is used for road
infrastructure.

Annex

Working together for a better future

Average economic rates of return on World Bank


supported infrastructure projects (%)
40
29

30
20

20

19

15
12

10

st
ru
ct
u

re

st
ru
ct
ur
e

in
f ra
oa
d
R

Po
rt

un
i
om
m
Te
le
c

in
f ra

ca
tio
ns

ct
s
pr
nk
Ba
or
ld
Al
lW

ai
lw
ay

in
fr a

W
at
e

rs

st
ru
c

oj
e

tu

up
pl
y

re

Source: The World Bank

www.iru.org

For World Bank-supported road infrastructure investments, the economic


rate of return was 29 times its investment costs (average return rate for
all investments in highways between 1983 and 1992).
Thus, road infrastructure investments achieve the highest economic rate
of return of all infrastructure investments supported by the World Bank.
Their economic rate of return is twice the return rate for all World Bank
projects and 2.4 times the return rate on railway infrastructure
investments.
Other sources calculate even higher economic rates of return for road
infrastructure investments. For the US and Asia, return rates for
infrastructure investments are between 50 and 60. For all OECD
countries, the economic benefits of road infrastructure investments are
19 times its investment costs.

Annex

Working together for a better future

Study into the economic


cost of barriers to road
transport in 5 countries:
CZ, F, I, PL, UK.
Annual economic cost
of 8-16 bn or 0.5% of
GDP of these countries.
For the European Union
this would amount to
approximately 40 bn
per year.
www.iru.org

Source: The Hague Consulting


Group

Impediments to road transport comprise insufficient road capacity/road


congestion, border delays/waiting times, traffic bans,
strikes/blockades, and others.
The annual economic cost of these impediments for road transport
amounts to 0.5% of GDP.
For the European Union, this would amount to an economic cost of
40 bn per year.

Annex

Working together for a better future

Frjus tunnel (vehicles/day) the "Mont-Blanc-effect"

HDV through
the Mont Blanc
before the
accident:
2127/day

5000
4006

4000
3000

3000
2000

2398
1722

1000

+74%

before 24 March
after 24 March

+67%

0
light vehicles

www.iru.org

heavy vehicles

Source: Socit Franaise du


Tunnel Routier du Frjus
(SFTRF) ATMB

A permanent ban on trucks through the Mont-Blanc tunnel, as is


currently being discussed, would not lead to a shift of goods transport
from road to rail nor to combined transport, but would make road
transport search for alternative routes through the alps.
Traffic would be deviated to alternative routes (and tunnels) rather than
shifted to other modes, leading to an increase in the cost for shipments
by road from Italy to Central Europe by 25%.
A temporary increase of almost 70% in the number of heavy commercial
vehicles through the Frjus tunnel after the Mont-Blanc tunnel was
closed on 24 March 1999 gives a clear indication of where the traffic
would go, with all its negative impacts as regards the economy,
environment and safety.
Such a reorganisation and deviation of traffic flows would lead to an
increase in the overall number of trucks on the road, due to inefficiencies
and productivity losses.
Annex 7

Working together for a better future

micrograms per cubic metre

Nitrogen dioxide levels


Chamonix Mont-Blanc
80

71

68

accident

Total traffic 1998


Jan-May: +15%

58

60
43

40

52

50

45

26

25

23

20

18

19

May

Jun

Jul

28

1998
1999

30

20

22

0
Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Aug

Source: L'air des 2 savoie

www.iru.org

A before accident and after accident comparison of the nitrogen


dioxide levels measured in Chamonix leads to the following conclusions:
Although total traffic between January and May 1998 increased by 15%,
nitrogen dioxide levels fell by almost two thirds. This is a clear indication
that other sources, such as private heating, have a much stronger
influence on NO2 levels in the region.
Regardless of the amount of traffic, nitrogen dioxide levels in 1999 were
lower than in 1998. From January to August, i.e. before and after the
tunnel was closed in 1999, the reduction was on average between 20
and 25% when compared to levels in 1998.
There is no evidence, whatsoever, that due to the closure of the tunnel,
air quality in the region has improved, or would deteriorate once the
tunnel was back in operation for all vehicles.
Annex 8

Working together for a better future

ADAC tunnel test - share of trucks and accidents/year


60
share of trucks

accidents/year

share of trucks

40

125
100
75

20

50
25
0

Va

Le

op
o

l
llv d II
id
(
re B)
A ra
rlb ( E
)
Pf erg
n (A
B de )
os r (
A
r
G uck )
le
(
i
R na A)
op lm
K pe (A
at
M
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er
hb (A
se
)
e
y
Ta rg
Q
ue
ue ( A)
en
r
sw n (
ay A )
Fr (U K
)
F
St ou jus
. G rv (F
i
ot r )
th e (
Sa
a
F
G rd )
n
u
Be b (C
ri
H
G
r
r . n a st ( )
St rd
CH
i
)
M Be no
ic
(
ha rna CH
el rd )
st
u (C
E nn H)
lb
tu el (
n D
G ne )
l
ia
gl ( D
io )
ne
( I)

accidents/year

150

Source: ADAC

www.iru.org

There is little or no positive correlation between the share of trucks in


total traffic through a tunnel and the number of accidents. On the
contrary, while the Frjus tunnel has an extremely high proportion of
heavy duty vehicles (almost 60%) but a low number of accidents per
year (only 6), the Elbtunnel with a moderate share of goods vehicles
(approx. 16%) has an extremely high number of accidents per year
(150). These are the results of the most recent and comprehensive
investigation of European tunnels by the ADAC.
The distinction between accident involvement and accident
responsibility is often neglected in accident statistics. A truck was
involved does not necessarily mean that the truck caused the accident.
On the contrary, A truck was involved very often means that the truck
(and his driver) suffered as much from an accident as other road users
and victims. The question that has to be raised in this context is To
what extent are authorities responsible for an accident, if, for example,
they neglect their responsibility for the modernisation and adaptation of
road infrastructure, including tunnels.
Annex

Working together for a better future

Repair and opportunity cost Mont-Blanc (million Euro)


600
500
500
400
300
200

155

100
0
Repair MontBlanc

Close MontBlanc

Cost of bringing the


Mont-Blanc tunnel back
into operation:
155 million Euro.
Economic cost of the
closure of the MontBlanc tunnel for the
Italian economy alone:
Over 500 million Euro
- per year!

Source: Confindustria

www.iru.org

The road transport industry would be less affected by a permanent ban


than one might expect. Above all, it is the economies at both ends of the
tunnel that suffer from the closure of the Mont-Blanc tunnel, temporarily
or permanently.
While the cost for bringing back the Mont-Blanc tunnel into operation is
estimated at "only" 155 million Euro, the economic cost alone for the
Italian economy is estimated at over 500 million Euro - per year!

Annex

10

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