Allowing longer road trains requires longer stretches for overtaking
The Ministry of Climate wants to allow longer and heavier road trains on Estonia's highways, but overtaking them would require an extra 100 meters of clear road. The Ministry of Climate has sent for approval a draft regulation that would permit, under special permits, significantly longer and heavier road trains to operate on Estonia's roads. Beginning January 1, according to the ministry's plan, road trains up to 25 meters long and weighing up to 60 tons could travel on certain highways.
The aim of allowing such road trains, known as the European Modular System, is to improve transport efficiency and reduce environmental impact. A longer vehicle can carry up to a quarter more cargo, meaning fewer trips are needed to transport the same amount of goods, thereby cutting fuel, time and labor costs. This would make Estonia's freight transport conditions more competitive compared with the Nordic countries where similar road trains are already in use.
According to studies commissioned by the Transport Administration, the main additional risk associated with longer road trains involves overtaking on two-lane highways. For example, overtaking a 25-meter-long vehicle takes considerably more time and distance compared with a standard 17-meter semi-trailer. The explanatory memorandum notes that, in a 90 km/h speed zone, overtaking a longer road train safely requires an additional 100 meters of clear road to allow the driver enough space to pass and return safely to their lane.
The Ministry of Climate acknowledges the risk that car drivers may not accurately perceive the actual length of a longer road train and could misjudge the distance required for a safe overtaking maneuver, attempting to pass when there isn't enough open road ahead. To mitigate these risks, longer road trains would only be allowed on routes that have been pre-mapped and approved by the Transport Administration. These would primarily include Estonia's major highways such as the Tallinn-Parnu-Ikla, Tallinn-Tartu-Luhamaa and Tallinn-Narva routes, as well as the Tallinn ring road.
The Ministry of Climate also notes that experience from both Finland and Sweden confirms that longer road trains can safely participate in traffic.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook[1] and X and never miss an update!