UETR at the EU Parliament to support parking areas as hub for alternative fuels infrastructure

07 Mar UETR at the EU Parliament to support parking areas as hub for alternative fuels infrastructure

An exchange on the role of parking areas to support the green transition took place on the 1st of March ahead of the 2023 ESPORG Excellence in Truck Parking Award Ceremony at the European Parliament.

UETR joined a panel discussion organised by ESPORG on how to ensure a wide implementation and use of safe, comfortable, sustainable and connected truck parking areas in Europe including SSTPAs acting as alternative fuel infrastructure hubs.

UETR Secretary General Marco Digioia stressed the opportunity for parking areas to deliver social and environmental sustainability at the same time. EU funding is quite significant today and a sign of new trend and perception of the importance of SSTP for road transport.

Ongoing revision of TEN T Regulation provides an opportunity window. Challenges to be addressed are user’s acceptance- a pre-condition, getting to the capability of smaller companies to invest in green vehicles. Alternative Fuels Infrastructure is to be deployed asap with ambitious coverage targets. Finally, all the relevant pieces of legislation (ETS, AFIR, TEN T, Mobility Package driving times and rest periods, Eurovignette, the proposal for CO2 emissions for Heavy Duty vehicles). are to create a single coherent framework.