European coach industry welcomes the decision of the Berlin city authority to postpone the entry into force of the restrictions for EURO III coaches foreseen for 2010

Berlin – According to the compromise agreement reached between the German trade and transport industry and the Berlin administration in charge of environment matters, German and foreign registered EURO III coaches will no longer need to register for a special exemption as from 1 January 2010. As a result, all EURO III coaches will enjoy free entry into the Berlin low emission zone until 2012. However, both German and foreign registered coaches will still need to obtain and display environmental badges to enter low emission zones in German cities

Wolfgang Steinbrück, President of the Bundesverband Deutscher Omnibusunternehmer (BDO, the Federal Association of German Bus and Coach Operators) stated: “We expressly welcome the compromise. We have repeatedly tried to make clear that companies which purchased coaches in 2006 that satisfied the most recent stringent and technologically green standards should not be made the scapegoat of political decisions. The approach which has now been adopted gives bus and coach companies a great deal more planning certainty in an economically difficult situation." And Mr Steinbrück concluded: “The Berlin hotel, restaurant and retail sectors can now breathe a sigh of relief as well, since far more than three million coach tourists per year will be able to continue to visit Berlin without impediments”.

Graham Smith, CEO of Heyfordian Travel (UK) and Vice President of the IRU, said: “The decision of the Berlin city authority is a victory for the reasonable and practical political sense, as well as for small and medium sized coach and travel companies. It is indeed a first significant step towards the recognition of the outstanding environmental and economic benefits coach travel brings to cities and tourist destinations. We will continue our collective campaign at European Union level in order to obtain harmonised EU guidelines for European cities with restricted zones, where coaches are exempted from such restrictions.”

* * *
Press contacts:

× BDO, Martin Kaßler, Leiter Kommunikation & Public Affairs, Tel.: +49 30 2408 93 00, Fax: +49 30 2408 94 00, info@bdo-online.de

× IRU, Oleg Kamberski, +32 2 743 25 80, oleg.kamberski@iru.org

Press Office

International Road Transport Union (IRU)

3, rue de Varembé / B.P. 44

CH-1211 Geneva 20

Switzerland

Tel: +41 22 918 27 07

Fax: + 41 22 918 27 41

Mailto: Press@iru.org