It’s a vote that might cost hauliers dear but, if its supporters are right, it could also mean cleaner air and quieter roads: the European Parliament’s backing, on June 7, of the revised ‘Eurovignette’ scheme means that new tolls for heavy goods vehicles will come into place, as lawmakers bid to cut pollution from the trucks.

The 505 to 141 vote, by MEPs in Strasbourg, marks the last major legislative hurdle for the measure aimed at charging hauliers for air and noise pollution costs in addition to motorway tolls. The directive means that revenue from these charges can improve the performance of transport systems and cut pollution across the EU. Trucks over 3.5 tonnes will be affected by the Eurovignette rules that cover not only trans-European transport (TEN-T) networks, but all motorways.

The current Eurovignette Directive, adopted in 1999 and revised in 2006, only covers roads in the TEN-T, which includes some 15,000 kilometres of tolled roads. It authorises, but does not oblige member states to charge hauliers between 15 and 25 euro cents per tonne/km. And the charges are only for infrastructure costs: until now, governments have been banned from charging for environmental damage, accident costs, and congestion costs, although there is a directive which would allow these costs to be internalised.

Now the new measure will raise changes by 3-4 cents to cover the external costs of road haulage, starting with air and noise pollution. Fares will be collected by an electronic system that should be up and running by 2012, with 15% of revenues funnelled towards improving TEN-T networks. Trucks with greener Euro V-class engines will be exempt from air pollution charges until January 1, 2014, and Euro VI-class until January 1, 2018. Countries can also choose to put funds towards transport projects such as alternative infrastructure and clean transport initiatives. As for congestion, it is now treated as part of existing infrastructure costs: the revised directive says member states can vary toll tariffs during peak and off-peak hours by up to 175% "to ease congestion".

EU transport commissioner Siim Kallas said in a statement that the EU rules “send the right price signals to operators” so they will invest more in efficient logistics, less polluting vehicles and more sustainable transport. "They also give member states new tools to fight congestion, with possibilities to vary charges at different times of the day to get heavy lorries off the roads at peak periods,” he said.

Said El Khadraoui, who steered the legislation through Parliament, said the move marked a cornerstone for the next decade of European transport policy, with the chance for countries to charge for air and noise pollution. “Finally ‘the polluter pays’ principle is introduced in road transport,” he said. “It is a small revolution.”

So, will this ensure that heavy trucks are less of a burden on Europe’s roads? Road transport is responsible for 75% of nitrous-oxide discharges and the cost of traffic jams amounts to about 1.1% of the EU economy, the Commission says. But despite the overwhelming backing by MEPs, the measure is controversial.

The freight sector has vociferously complained that trucks are being made into scapegoats because they are so visible on the roads – and grumbles that governments like such tolling measures less because of their greening capacity and more for their revenue generation.

The International Road Transport Union (IRU) says the draft Directive imposes an additional burden as countries are not obliged to reinvest the tax revenues in greening road transport. “This new tax imposed on road transport services through the Eurovignette Directive will actually impede operators from investing in and implementing the best technologies and techniques crucial to further green road transport,” said Alexander Sakkers, President of the IRU EU Goods Transport Liaison Committee. He was echoed by Francesco Del Boca, president of the European Road Haulers Association (UETR), who said the measures discriminated against road transport companies. “This means that EU legislation as of today esteems goods moved by inland waterways, trains or ships do not emit any harmful emissions nor make any noise at all,” he said.

Once the new Eurovignette rules are approved, the EU member states will have two years to transpose it in their national law before it comes into force. It may well prove an incentive for hauliers and truckmakers to work closer to produce more environmentally-friendly vehicles. And it may well channel funding to boost infrastructure and support cleaner transport processes. But there is also the risk that, as hauliers fear, this is simply a new tax that just offers governments a new revenue stream and does little to green transport. Only time will tell which works out.