ESTA’s long-running campaign to harmonize international marking and lighting regulations for heavy transport and abnormal loads has received a major boost.
The proposals have won the backing of the VDA, the influential German automotive industry association and will now be presented to the UNECE committee responsible for administering international conventions on traffic regulations. The next meeting of the committee was due to take place this month, but has been delayed until October due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ESTA Section Transport Vice-President Iffet Türken said: “ This is very good news indeed and shows that we are slowly and steadily making progress.”
Türken, who is a board member of trailer manufacturer Kässbohrer, added: “The current situation is absolutely ridiculous. The rules for marking and lighting of abnormal transports are different in every EU country.”
In 2018, ESTA set up a cross-industry working group led by Türken and Section Transport President André Friderici of Switzerland-based Friderici Spécial to study the different regulations in operation around Europe and produce its own recommendations. That report was published in 2019 and was presented to relevant orgaisations in an attempt to garner their support.
Türken continued: “This is perhaps not the most important topic, but a recurring and costly nuisance. Why does everyone want their own signs? And why is a side marking board in one country 50 x 50 cm and in another country 42,5 x 42,5 cm?
“ESTA is trying to get some unity here and we have produced an excellent report with sensible and workable proposals for amendment of the current ECE R48 regulations.”