Truck assembly companies acknowledge that building curved truck cabs will see fewer pedestrians and cyclists killed, when heavy goods vehicles strike people on foot and on bikes head on.

But truck-builders "won't update their production lines because they want to squeeze every last cent from old truck assembly plants that only make brick-shaped cabs" said James Nix, Policy Director of An Taisce - The National Trust for Ireland.

He notes: "it's a sickening stance in a sector that should be led by innovation. However, Europe's truck-builders, dominated by French and Swedish companies, have a very simple answer to new product development, namely, a sector-wide ban on innovation for the next 10 years."

"The nauseating stench of cartel power is one thing; the fact that it costs so many lives is another", said Nix.

William Todts of Transport and Environment (www.transportenvironment.org) has stated “In 2013 the Commission proposed truckmakers should be permitted, but not required, to build slightly longer, curvy cabs that are more fuel efficient, emit less CO₂ and are safer. But truckmakers ... fear that one of them would benefit more from the new opportunity so they’ve collectively decided that no-one should benefit for at least another decade. Could you imagine any other industry opposing the freedom (not obligation) to innovate?” (See Note 1)

ENDS

For further information, please call:

James Nix, Policy Director, An Taisce Tel: +353 86 8394129
Charles Stanley-Smith, Communications, An Taisce Tel: +353 87 2411995
email: [email protected]
An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland
www.antaisce.org

NOTES:

1. See http://www.transportenvironment.org/newsroom/blog/sweet-smell-cartel-why-truckmakers-oppose-cleaner-and-safer-lorries
2. Please also see link above for the wider context of the EU investigation into cartel-type behavior among Europe's truck-builders.
3. For further information on making trucks safer please see: http://www.transportenvironment.org/what-we-do/smarter-lorries/cleaner-safer-lorry-design
4. Transport and Environment (www.transportenvironment.org) - Transport & Environment’s mission is to promote, at EU and global level, a transport policy based on the principles of sustainable development. Transport policy should minimise harmful impacts on the environment and health, maximise efficiency of resources, including energy and land, and guarantee safety and sufficient access for all.