ABSTRACT
The European road transport networks are threatened by the heavy increase in international traffic which is growing more rapidly than domestic traffic. Road transport has expanded since the early 1970s, on account of its flexibility, without at the same time enjoying a level of investment enabling the growth to be absorbed. Ambitious plans to deregulate totally the European road transport sectors have had a bumpy ride since the creation of the EC. The peripheral and small countries had more interests in the organisation of a strong road transport rector. Differing methods of financing causes operating costs for road transport users to differ. General cabotage enables a carrier to carry out national transport operations in another country subject to the regulations of the country in which the operations are undertaken. Since the 1970s and early 1980s the concept of “accessibility” in the transport sector has gain increasingly importance and has become a major transport planning and policy instrument.
