by Italy – additional HGV driving ban on the A22 Brenner motorway
According to information announced by the government commissioner for the province of Bolzano, the Austrian authorities have introduced an HGV driving ban for vehicles with a GVW over 7.5 tonnes, which applies on the northbound carriageway of the Brenner motorway from Sterzing to the state border at Brenner on all Saturdays from January 11 to March 15, between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Vehicles affected by the ban which are already traveling on the Brenner motorway in the province of Bolzano when the ban comes into effect, can stop at the SA.DO.BRE parking lot in Sterzing / Vipiteno or at other places along the motorway in the neighboring communes or in parking lots designated by the traffic police.
The following transports are exempt from the ban:
◾ Transports of slaughter cattle or livestock, mail items and periodicals, supplies of drinks to tourist areas, urgent deliveries to petrol stations, catering establishments and events or repairs of cooling systems, towing services, roadside assistance, assistance in emergencies, medical care, the use of vehicles by road maintenance companies or to maintain road traffic, in road or rail construction, the use of vehicles by public security services, fire brigades, the use of vehicles for garbage collection, waste disposal, to maintain the operation of water treatment plants or the use of vehicles by companies providing regular passenger transport services, as well as journeys of vehicles used by travelling carnivals, incl. teams of lighting and sound engineers travelling to and from the venue, urgent journeys involving trucks, articulated vehicles or trucks with trailers used by the Austrian armed forces, journeys of self-propelled agricultural machines, humanitarian aid transports performed by recognized organizations;
◾ Journeys involving combined rail-road freight transport from the consignor to the nearest technically suitable loading station or from the closest technically suitable unloading station to the consignee and back to the next loading station, provided that a fully completed document can be presented showing that the vehicle or its superstructures (swap bodies, containers) are to be transported by rail or have already been transported; this applies mutatis mutandis to combined water-road freight transport.
◾ Journeys performed exclusively to transport goods to or from airports or military airfields that are used for civil aviation purposes.
by Belgium: HGV traffic redirected to the main roads starting from November
From Monday, November 4, the local authorities of Steenokkerzeel, Kampenhout, Kortenberg and Herent introduce a route coordination scheme for HGV traffic (tonnage limitation, maximum permissible weight of 3.5 tons) at inter-municipal level.
GHV through traffic will have to use the main roads – Haachtsesteenweg (N21), Tervuursesteenweg (N227), Brusselsesteenweg (N2) and Leuvense-/Mechelsesteenweg (N26). This restriction only applies to freight vehicles in through traffic. Local freight traffic (e.g. deliveries) is permitted even if the GVW exceeds the limit of 3.5 tons.
by Austria: new HGV driving bans on the A12, A13 and A14 motorways
The Austrian Federal Minister for Climate, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology has issued a regulation introducing additional HGV driving bans on the A12, A13 and A14 motorways in 2025.
The restriction is related to the general renovation of the Lueg Bridge and will apply on days with high traffic intensity days. It was published in the Federal Law Gazette (RIS – BGBLA_2024_II_409).
The driving ban applies:
❌ to lorries and articulated vehicles with a gross combination mass exceeding 7.5 tonnes.
❌ on A12 Inntal, A13 Brenner and A14 Rheintal/Walgau motorways:
◾ Every Saturday from 11 January to 15 March 2025, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
◾ on Saturday 12 April, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
◾ Every Saturday from 7 Juneto 27 September, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
◾ on Thursday 17 April, Friday 18 April, Wednesday 28 May, Wednesday 18 June and Thursday 2 October, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
◾ The ban applies if route to the destination leads via the A 13 motorway section from the Nößlach junction to the Brenner Nord junction towards the national border.
❌on the A13 Brenner motorway (from the Italian/Austrian border to the Nößlach junction):
◾ Every Saturday from 11 January to 15 March 2025, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
◾ Every Saturday from 5 July 2025 to 30 August 2025, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
◾ The ban applies if the route to your destination leads via the motorway section from the Brenner Nord junction to the Nößlach junction in the direction of Innsbruck.
❗ATTENTION – ASFINAG, in cooperation with local authorities, has prepared a detailed traffic calendar on the Lueg Bridge, which came into force on January 1, 2025.
by Italy: HGV driving ban on the A22 on October 26
In response to the HGV driving ban on October 26 (Saturday) connected with the Austrian national holiday, the Italian province of Bolzano has introduced a driving ban on this day.
The ban applies from 00:00 to 10:00 PM to all trucks with a GVW of at least 7.5 t driving along the northbound A22 motorway towards Austria, between Vipiteno (Sterzing) and the Italian-Austrian border (Brenner)
Trucks affected by the ban will be directed to the SA.DO.BRE/Campo di Trens parking lot.
The ban does not apply to vehicles transporting live animals, perishable food, meat, milk, combined road-rail transport (drivers must carry a reservation indicating the vehicle registration number or the date and time of departure of the train).
by Tirol: traffic restrictions on the Lueg Bridge in 2025
In cooperation with the local authorities, the ministry and partners, ASFINAG has prepared a detailed schedule of traffic measures on the Lueg Bridge, which comes into effect on 1 January 2025.
The schedule is supposed to to enable drivers to plan their journeys on the A13 motorway once single-lane traffic on the bridge is in place. The measure is necessary to reduce the load exerted on the bridge and ensure traffic safety. Innovative traffic management solutions will be used to minimise disruptions, but drivers should expect periodic changes and adapt their travel plans to the new conditions.
Two-lane traffic on selected days
To minimise disruptions, ASFINAG plans to allow two-lane traffic in each difrection on 180 days when traffic intensity is predicted to be much higher. On these days:
❌ Vehicles with a GVW of over 3.5 tons will be obliged to use the inner lane (closest to the middle of the bridge).
❌ Cars will be able to use both lanes.
Depending on the situation, two-lane traffic will be enabled on the southbound or the northbound carriageway, or in both directions at the same time.
HGV driving bans
Despite two-lane traffic, considerable traffic jams may occur on some days. This is why there will be 14 days with an HGV driving ban for vehicles with a GVW of over 7.5 tons on the southbound carriageway. In total, in 2025, there will be:
❌ 36 days with an HGV driving ban on the southbound carriageway,
❌ 21 days with an HGV driving ban on the northbound carriageway.
Intensive preparations for the introduction of the new traffic organization have been underway for several months. Work will continue in 2025 according to the following schedule:
❌ January 1, 2025 – the introduction of single-lane traffic on the bridge.
❌ end of January 2025 – weather permitting, first days with two-lane traffic.
❌ Spring 2025 – completion of the installation of the automated traffic control and management system.
In the event of snowfall, two-lane traffic cannot be introduced because snow removal trucks will not be able to use the outer lanes of the bridge.
by Update! Austria: exit bans on the A10 motorway to prevent traffic jam avoidance
The measure has been introduced at selected junctions of the A10 motorway in order to prevent through traffic on local roads adjacent to the motorway, which many drivers use to avoid traffic jams.
❗ In accordance with §§ 44a and 94b of the Austrian Road Traffic Act 1960 (StVO 1960), BGBl 159/1960, the Hallein District Office has issued the following restrictions which will be in effect from 19 December to 30 March 2025. The restrictions apply to the Hallein, Kuchl and Golling-Abtenau junctions and enter into force once appropriate road markings have been put in place.
❌All vehicles travelling on the A 10 motorway are banned from entering local roads at the junctions listed below, with the exception of:
◾ journeys to destinations within a specified radius (terminanting traffic),
◾ public and non-public bus services and taxis.
❌ The restrictions apply to the following roads:
◾ From the Hallein junction (exit 16) into the L107 Wiestal Landesstraße: except for destinations within a radius of up to 20 km.
◾ From the Kuchl junction (exit 22) to the B159 Salzachtal Straße: except for destinations within a radius of up to 15 km.
◾ From the Golling-Abtenau junction (exit 28) to the B 159 Salzachtal Straße: except for destinations within a radius of up to 35 km.
❌ Update!
The update issued on 11 December concerns sections of the A10 motorway where drivers try to avoid traffic jams by choosing local roads adjacent to the motorway.
Vehicles travelling towards Salzburg are prohibited from leaving the A10 motrway at the Pfarrwerfen-Werfen junction (exit 44) and entering L229 Affenwenger Landesstraße, with the exception of transports whose destination is located in the province of Salzburg.
The prohibition to enter adjacent municipal roads also applies at the following junctions:
◾ From the Eben im Pongau junction (exit 60) into the B99 Katschberg Straße towards Salzburg,
◾ On the turning lane of the Landzeit service area (Gasthof Eben Nord and Gasthof Eben Süd), on the Gasthofsiedlung estate and the Gasthof Süd inn.
The prohibitions do not apply to transports whose destination is in the province of Salzburg.
According to Art. 44 StVO 1960, the regulation enters into force once the appropriate road signs have been put in place appear.
Signage and enforcement
Signs put up at motorway junctions and local road intersections will inform about the ban and the exceptions.
❌ The signs have already been put up at:
◾ Intersection of the Hallein exit with the L 107 Wiestal Landesstraße (roundabout K1),
◾ Intersection of the Golling-Abtenau exit with the B 159 Salzachtal Straße at km 21.290,
◾ Intersection of the Kuchl exit with the B 159 Salzachtal Straße at km 14.356.
by Slovakia: derogation from the HGV driving ban
At the request of ČESMAD Slovakia, the Slovakian Presidium of the Police Force has granted a general exemption from the driving ban on 24 December 2024 and 6 January 2025.
The derogation applies to all heavy goods vehicles traveling on motorways, roads for motor vehicles, 1st class roads and roads used by international traffic, entering Slovakia and travelling to destinations (e.g. the company’s base or the place of unloading) located in Slovakia.
by Maintenance operations in the Fréjus Tunnel
The operators of the Fréjus Tunnel have announced a detailed schedule of maintenance works, which will require changes in traffic management in December, including temporary closures and the introduction of alternating traffic.
⭕ The tunnel will be closed from 10:00 p.m. on Friday, 13 December, to 6:00 a.m on Monday, 16 December. During this period, drivers will have to use alternative routes.
⭕ From 2 to 18 December, on the nights from Monday to Tuesday, Tuesday to Wednesday and the following weekdays, alternating traffic will be in effect from 10:30 p.m. to 4:45 a.m.
by The Reschen Pass closed from October 8 to December 20
The Reschen Pass, connecting South Tyrol in Italy with Tyrol in Austria, will be closed from October 8 to December 20. During this period, traffic will be diverted through Switzerland.
The pass, known as Reschenpass in German or Passo di Resia in Italian, lies at an altitude of 1,500 m and runs along the Inn Valley. A section of the route runs along the B180 in Austria and the SS40 in Italy. An alternative route goes through Switzerland, along E27, which can be accessed via the Austrian roads B184 and B185.
❗ Special time slots have been established for trucks with trailers and vehicles with a length over 6.5 m travelling between the Vinschgau Valley / Val Venosta in South Tyrol and Austria via Martina in Switzerland: from 03:30 to 05:30 and from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The slots can be used after obtaining permission from the Landeck district and the Grisons police.
Local transport of goods between Val Venosta and Austria via Switzerland is exempt from customs formalities. However, transport documents must be presented during inspections.
by France: an exemption from the Sunday driving ban in northern France for certain types of transports
In response to a bird flu epidemic, which has broken out in northern France, the authorities have introduced an exemption from the driving ban on Sundays and public holidays in the departments of Aisne, Nord, Oise, Pas-de-Calais and Somme until 6 January 2025. The exemption applies to vehicles (loaded or returning empty) transporting equipment, materials, products or vehicles necessary for cleaning poultry farms or places designated for this purpose.
In the event of an inspection, hauliers must provide proof that they are eligible for the exemption. A copy of the French decree must be on board the vehicle ➡ CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD.