1. Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania
main EU Directives and Regulations on maximum authorized dimensions and weights of road vehicles in national and international traffic PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
16 April 2012, Baku
Gytis Mažeika
Ministry of Transport and Communications
of the Republic of Lithuania

2. CONTENTS Purpose of the Directive 96/53; Key norms and standards;
Examples of some EU Member States;
Discussion on revision of the Directive;
Conclusions.

3. TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (1957)

4. TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (1957)

5. PURPOSE OF THE DIRECTIVE 96/53
Common standards of weights and dimensions for commercial road transport vehicles;
Fair competition between transport operators;
Clear and stable operating environment;
Seamless circulation of commercial vehicles across borders; 5

6. DIRECTIVE 96/53 IN THE CONTEXT OF TYPE-APPROVAL LEGISLATION
Directive 96/53 sets the circulation standards;
Production standards and type-approval procedures are set by other EU legislation (i.e., directive 2007/46/EC); 6

7. SCOPE OF THE DIRECTIVE 96/53
Dimensions, weights and certain other characteristics of vehicles and trailers under categories:
M2 : 8+1, m < 5 t;
M3 : 8+1, m > 5 t;
N2 : 3,5 < m < 12 t;
N3 : 12 t < m;
03 : 3,5 < m < 10 t;
04 : 10 t < m; 7

8. KEY DIMENSIONS
Max height – 4 m; max width – 2,55 m (2,60 m for conditioned vehicles); max length:
motor vehicle or a single trailer: m
articulated vehicle:16.50 m
road train, articulated bus, bus + trailer: m 8

9. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DIMENSIONS
Vehicle or vehicle combination must be able to turn within a swept circle having an outer radius of m and an inner radius of 5.30 m.
Maximum distance between the axis of the fifth-wheel king pin and the rear of the semi-trailer is m.
The distance measured horizontally between the axis of the fifth-wheel king pin and any point at the front of the semi-trailer must not exceed 2.04 m.
Maximum distance between the foremost external point of the loading area behind the cabin to the rearmost external point of the trailer of the vehicle combination is m.
Maximum distance between the foremost external point of the loading area behind the cabin to the rearmost external point of the trailer of the vehicle combination minus the distance between the rear of the drawing vehicle and the front of the trailer is m.
The distance between the rear axle of a motor vehicle and the front axle of a trailer must not be less than 3.00 m. 9

10. MAXIMUM AUTHORIZED WEIGHT
Maximum driving axle weight – 11,5 t (10 t for non-driving axles)
24 t for three axle trailers; 26 t for three axle vehicles; 32 t for four axle vehicles
44 t for 40-foot ISO container;
36 t or 38 t in case of four axles
36 t in case of four axles
40 t
18 t*
* 18 t limit is applied for two-axle trailers and vehicles 10

11. FREE CIRCULATION OF VEHICLES
Vehicles registered in the EU;
Compliance with weights and dimensions standards in case of international operations;
Compliance with dimensions standards in case of national operations. 11

12. PROHIBITION OF CIRCULATION OF VEHICLES WHICH DO NOT CONFORM TO:
Maximum length;
Maximum width;
Intermodal cargo dimensions
Turning radius;
Maximum length of semi-trailer;
Other dimensions;
Special requirements for buses. 12

13. MS MAY AUTHORISE CIRCULATION OF VEHICLES EVEN IF THEY DO NOT CONFORM WITH THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:
Maximum height;
Maximum authorized vehicle weight;
Maximum authorized axle weight;
25 % load on the driving axle;
Special limitation for laden weight of a four-axle vehicle in relation to its length. 13

14. EXAMPLES OF MAX WEIGHT 10 11.5 18 26 38 48/60 13 19 40 12 44 11,5 36
Country
Weight per
non-drive
axle
Weight per drive
Lorry
2 axles
3 axles
Road Train
4 axles
5 axles and +
Articulated Vehicle
5 axles and +
SWEDEN 10
11.5 18 26 38
48/60
FRANCE 13 19 40
ITALY 12 44
FINLAND
11,5 36
44/60
42/48
NETHER-
LANDS
21,5 33 50
Source: International Transport Forum, 12 Oct 2011 14

15. MAX. AXLE LOAD REGULATION IN SWEDEN
Source: Legal loading. Weight and dimension regulations for heavy vehicles 2010, Transport Styrelsen, Sweden. 15

16. EXAMPLES OF MAX DIMENSIONS
Country
Height
Width
Length
Lorry or Trailer
Road Train
Articulated vehicle
SWEDEN
Not defined
2,55 24
25,25
FRANCE 12
18,75
16,5
IRELAND
4,65
FINLAND
4,2
2,6 UK
Source: International Transport Forum, 12 Oct 2011 16

17. EXCEPTIONS FOR CIRCULATION OF OVERSIZED VEHICLES
Indivisible loads: non-discriminatory, on the basis of special permits or case-by-case agreements; Or
No significant effect on international competition in the transport sector (logging, forestry and modular concept). 17

18. Conventional regulation
MODULAR CONCEPT: SWEDEN, FINLAND AND NETHERLANDS
Conventional regulation
Modular concept: max. 60 t, m 18

19. POTENTIAL COMPONENTS OF THE MODULAR SYSTEM
Source: Legal loading. Weight and dimension regulations for heavy vehicles 2010, Transport Styrelsen, Sweden. 19

20. POTENTIAL COMBINATIONS OF THE MODULAR SYSTEM
Source: Legal loading. Weight and dimension regulations for heavy vehicles 2010, Transport Styrelsen, Sweden. 20

21. PRINCIPLES OF ENFORCEMENT
All vehicles must bear signs of proof of compliance (forms established by the Directive 76/114/EEC);
Local restrictions on certain roads or other infrastructure;
Random checks allowed for weight control;
Dimension control on the basis of suspicion only. 21

22. DIRECTIVE 96/53 establishes
Maximum dimensions;
Maximum weight (max laden mass, axle load etc.);
Prohibition on MS to discriminate the use of vehicles in case of conformity;
Exceptions for max. dimensions (special permits and effect on international competition);
Methods of proof and principles for checks. 22

23. DIRECTIVE 96/53 ALLOWS MS TO:
Authorize heavier and bigger vehicles for national transport of goods and passengers;
Specify procedures on how to deal with oversized/overweight vehicles (non-discrimination);
Put limitations for vehicles on part of their road network;
Prescribe institutions responsible for implementation and supervision (competent authority);
Levy taxes, tariffs and fines; 23

24. DISCUSSION ON INCREASING THE MAX WEIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS OF THE DIRECTIVE
Potential reduction of flows rail and inland waterways, by 3,8% and 2,9% respectively;
Safety expected to stay at the same level;
Investments needed to prepare infrastructure for heavier vehicles;
Energy consumption and emissions expected to go down.
Source: Effects of adapting the rules on weights and dimensions of heavy commercial vehicles as established within Directive 96/53/EC. European Commission. 24

25. THANK YOU 25