Due to increased globalisation, Europe is being tied more and more together, which feeds the need for more efficient and flexible transports through the cor-ridors from the North to the South. Moreover, political focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating greener transports are also in tune with what MVC transports are able to contribute with in terms of environmental considerations. In February 2007 a majority of the Danish Parliament passed a change of the national Road Traffic Act, authorising the Minister for Transport to permit MVC’s in Denmark on a specifically selected road network as of March 1, 2007. Driving MVC’s means an extension of the maximum length of a road train from 18.75 metres to 25.25 metres and an increase of the maximum weight of the load allowed from 48 tonnes to 60 tonnes. The three-year trial was launched on November 24, 2008. In the latest agree-ment on future Danish traffic investments from January 2009, A Green Trans-port Policy, the national Parliament agreed to lengthen the MVC trial beyond 2011. The precise conditions concerning a lengthening will depend on the analysis and evaluation of the first three-year trial. This MVC trial is a corner-stone in the Danish government’s endeavour to create a coherent, sustainable society in terms of environment and traffic. Due to their large freight volume, MVC’s can contribute to an increased effi-ciency/productivity in the transport trade, reduce the total amount of trucks and spare nature and environmental costs – including effects on climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental challenges and increasing traffic (congestion) require ultra-modern transport types that are both flexible and environmentally correct. MVC transports are able to meet these demands. In short, MVC’s are able to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses and pollution and at the same time increase capacity on the road network. The trial is based on the following main principles:
The MVC trial is part of a comprehensive Danish strategy to create a greener transport sector, which was confirmed in the broad and coherent political agreement on a green transport policy in January 2009. With the issuing of January’s traffic agreement, a sum of approximately €12.5 billion was set aside for future investments. Considerable resources concern initiatives targeted to-wards securing greener transports. As a consequence of the green agreement, both central rail and road freight corridors are being enlarged and improved. In this way Denmark is optimising the national infrastructure and preparing it for the coming Fehmarn Belt Bridge, linking Denmark and the European Continent around 2018. By that time a new freight corridor will be opened for rail as well as road transports, in-cluding MVC cargo, representing a tremendous potential in case a joint Euro-pean network for MVC transports is introduced. Moreover, the government considers introducing a green mileage toll with regard for the environment. The Danish government is determined to secure a modern, efficient and envi-ronmentally correct transport system. The aim is to improve the conditions of the different transport types and their interaction. Thorough studies based on factual experiences from Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands suggest a number of economic and environmental gains related to MVC transports. For example, in 2002 the Swedish Institute for Transport Re-search published an analysis (Improved Performance of European Long Haul-age Transport by H. Backman & R. Nordström), concluding the following:
