A more competitive and sustainable road transport

After the initial presentation of the director-general of the CEL, José Estrada, and the presentation of the activities of Logistop by Fernando Liesa, his Manager, Ramon Garcia, director of innovation and projects of the CEL indicated that this group has been created due to the fact that the growth in transport that has occurred in recent years and the growth forecast for the next indicated the possibility of the occurrence of a road collapse.

Thus, in his view, the risks of congestion, increased environmental awareness and the growing interest in sustainable development behind the creation of this group of professional interest that works for greater competitiveness and sustainability of the transport of goods by road. Also, the Group also works to promote the railways as a mode of complementary to the road transport, and in this regard, the objectives of the group are in collecting information on this, a study to determine where the initiatives of the group could be applied in our countryto raise and develop pilots and disseminate the results of the elaborate studies.

Miguel Ángel Romeo, responsible for logistics of exposure, provided the vision of the charger in this group, from the point of view of a company which has been betting since the 40s of the 20th century by rail transport. In this sense, responsible for logistics of exposure explained that his company intends to double its share of rail in five years, while, at the time, it is also engaged in the research of a more competitive and sustainable goods by road transport taking into account their environmental and social impact, among others.

Subsequently, Joaquín Rodrigo, director-general of Car Ible, explained the vision they have carriers on the competitiveness and sustainability of the sector. In his view, the carriage of goods by road is a sector with a very well defined cost structure, in which the small improvements in productivity are essential for the continuity of the business. In this sense, Rodrigo advocated changes in the weights and dimensions of vehicles to transport by road increasing their productivity, reduce the cost by unit transported and externalities.

To end the day, Fernando Liesa, Manager of Logistop, moderated a roundtable attended by Alejandro Sanchez, director of logistics and electronic commerce of AECOC, Eduardo Zapata, managing director of CITET, Ramon Garcia, director of innovation and projects of the CEL, Miguel Ángel Romeo, responsible for logistics of exposure and Joaquin Rodrigo, director-general of Car Ible.

This Panel discussed the possibility of introducing in Spain trucks of 25,25 metres in length, in line with the developments taking place in other European States and that they lead the Scandinavian countries since some time now. In this respect at the table was stated that the Chargers feel that the adoption of vehicles 25,25 metres in length and admitted 44 tonnes maximum mass would increase the competitiveness of the entire chain of value, something crucial in a context of crisis like the present to all Spanish economic activity.

Also stressed that, to the fear that produces in the sector the introduction of vehicles of this type for the possible loss of volume of work, jobs and vehicles in use, the arrival of this composition of commercial vehicles has a specific space and a typology of very specific routes and would not affect all transport of goods by road. Also, were also mentioned experiences which had been previously as well as the difficulty to find a partner in public administrations because of the decentralization of competences and are several departments involved in the decision-making on weights and measures of vehicles in use.