by Closures of the Mont Blanc Tunnel from January to March
The schedule of tunnel closures.
Possible inconveniences can be expected in the hour preceeding the closure and in the hour following the reopening of the tunnel, due to the transit of any vehicles under escort.
JANUARY
from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM
– January 11/12
– January 12/13
– January 16/17
– January 17/18
– January 18/19
– January 19/20
– January 23/24
– January 24/25
– January 25/26
– January 26/27
FEBRUARY
– February 6/7 from 7:00 PM to 6:00 AM
– February 7/8 from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM
– February 8/9 from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM
– February 9/10 from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM
MARCH
from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM
– March 13/14
– March 14/15
– March 15/16
– March 16/17.
by €2,250 for failure to enable drivers to return home
According to the Mobility Package (Regulation (EU) 2020/1054), transport firms are obliged to enable their drivers to return to the employer’s operational centre or their places of residence:
❗ within each period of four consecutive weeks in order to spend at least one regular weekly rest period or a weekly rest period of more than 45 hours taken in compensation for reduced weekly rest period
or
❗ the driver has taken two consecutive reduced weekly rest periods – before the start of the regular weekly rest period of more than 45 hours taken in compensation.
According to French law, failure to comply with these regulations can be punished with a one-year prison sentence and a fine of up to 30,000 euros. During a roadside inspection, a deposit of EUR 2,250 is usually collected, but the prosecutor is entitled to impose a higher penalty.
by 3.02.2023 -HGV restrictions in Catalonia
Owing to forecasts of significant increases in traffic volume on the 2nd of February, an additional restriction will be introduced on some road and motorway sections for vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a maximum authorised mass of more than 7.5 tons, which are required to use the right lane and must not overtake other vehicles and drive faster than 80 km/h.
On Friday, February 2, between 3:00 PM and 9:00 PM, the restrictions will apply on the following road sections:
➖ the AP-7 motorway, between KP 126, exit 12B at La Roca del Vallés, Granollers and the junction with the C-60 in La Roca del Vallés, and KP 172, exit 25 at Martorell and the junction with the A-2 in the Martorell commune;
➖ the AP-7 motorway in the territory of Terres de l’Ebre, where there are only two lanes, between KP 257, exit 35 at Vila-seca, Salou, Reus S. and Port Aventura, in the municipality of Vila-seca, and KP 344,8 the border between Tarragona and Castellón, in the municipality of Ulldecona.
by Pressure is mounting against Tyrolean HGV driving bans
The German and Italian ministers of transport and infrastructure met with representatives of Italian transport associations to discuss the problem of Tyrolean transit bans and facilitate the exchange of goods between Italy and Germany.
Italian transport associations have been fighting against anti-transit measures introduced by Austria a long time. They argue that thanks to technical improvements in vehicles the level of emission has decreased. Therefore, a large part of the speech delivered by Thomas Baumgartner, the president of the ANITA association, focused on the long-standing issue of the HGV traffic in the Brenner Corridor. He pointed out that German and Italian efforts have been obstructed by the Tyrolean government, which over the years, instead of easing up the anti-transit measures, has been increasing them. Baumgartner believes that the only possible solution is to abolish the double charge for using the motorway from Innsbruck to the Brenner Pass during the night, the night driving ban on the A12 and the Saturday morning ban and to change the sectoral driving ban, which should only apply to journeys longer than 700 km including those originating and terminating in Tyrol.
ANITA’s president proposed introducing different transit charges depending on time: higher fees should be charged during peak hours and lower at night. He emphasized however, that such solutions would not only be difficult to implement, but would also constitute considerably restrict the flow of goods and trade between Italy and Germany.
The meeting organised for by minister Salvini was an an important step towards solve the situation that entrepreneurs find unacceptable and has a negative impact on the German economy, Italy’s main European partner.
by HGV traffic restrictions in Tirol in the first half of 2023
The Tyrolean state government has planned 24 days on which cross-border HGV traffice will be restricted. This is 3 more than in the same period last year.
On theses days, from 05:00 AM the police will slow down HGV traffic at a designated checkpoint on the A12 near Kufstein Nord in the direction of Innsbruck and, if necessary, will stop it in order to make sure that only about 300 lorries arriving from Germany are allowed to cross the border per hour.
The restriction schedule for the 1st half of 2023
➡ January 9 (Monday)
➡ February 6 (Monday)
➡ February 13 (Monday)
➡ February 20 (Monday)
➡ February 27 (Monday)
➡ March 6 (Monday)
➡ March 13 (Monday)
➡ April 26 (Wednesday)
➡ April 27 (Thursday)
➡ May 2 (Tuesday)
➡ May 15 (Monday)
➡ May 16 (Tuesday)
➡ May 17 (Wednesday)
➡ May 19 (Friday)
➡ May 26 (Friday)
➡ May 27 (Saturday)
➡ May 30 (Tuesday)
➡ May 31 (Wednesday)
➡ June 1 (Thursday)
➡ June 3 (Saturday)
➡ June 5 (Monday)
➡ June 6 (Tuesday)
➡ June 7 (Wednesday)
➡ June 9 (Friday).
by Border Force strike in the UK: recommendations for hauliers, queues at ports and inland border facilities
The proposed strike action is scheduled to start on 1 February and last until 7:00 AM on 2 Februrary.
It will impact international arrivals at all UK air and maritime ports as well as those travelling to the UK from UK border controls in Calais, Dunkirk and Coquelles in Northern France.
Advice for hauliers
Hauliers who are moving goods during the proposed strike action should be prepared for potential disruption and longer queues at ports and inland border facilities. Please check with your operator before travelling, be prepared for delays and carefully plan your movements if they coincide with days of strike action.
gov.uk
by Sweden: overtaking ban for lorries
From January 20, lorries with a GVW over 3.5 tonnes are forbidden from overtaking other vehicles on the E4 and E4/E20 motorways between Södertälje and Arlanda. The purpose of the ban is to improve road safety and accessibility for emergency vehicles.
The overtaking ban, already in place between Arlanda and Glädje and between Hallunda and Moraberg, has been extended for the entire section from Södertälje South to the Arlanda. The motorway section affected by the overtaking ban has thus increased by nearly 50 km.
by Spain: new tolls on the N-1 and A-15
From Monday, January 23, the electronic toll collection systems on these two motorways have started charging tolls.
The rate is EUR 0.22/km for lorries with a GVW over 3.5 tonnes and less than 12 tonnes and EUR 0.28/km for lorries with a GVW over 12 tonnes. More eco-friendly vehicles can benefit from the following discounts:
• 25% for electric vehicles and those powered by gas or hydrogen
• 20% for EURO 6 lorries
• 15% for EURO 5 lorries
The above discounts apply on the N-1, A-15 and A-636 motorways from January. On the AP-1 and AP-8 motorways, they will be introduced from October, but it will be possible to claim them retrospectively from the moment the documentation required by the BIDEGI infrastructure agency has been approved and an on-board unit has been registered.
In addition, vehicles such as tow trucks will be eligible for a frequent driver discount, up to 13%, on all major motorways within the province. This discount will come into effect from October.
by Additional winter driving ban in Tyrol on the A12 and A13
By virtue of the 3rd regulation of the Federal Minister for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, issued on January 5, 2023, a HGV driving ban has been introduced on certain Saturdays in winter 2023
The restriction applies to heavy goods vehicles, articulated vehicles with a maximum authorized mass above 7.5 tons or lorries with trailers whose combined MAM is above 7.5 tons. The ban applies between 7:00 AM and 3:00 PM on all Saturdays from January 7 to March 11 to vehicles bound for Italy on the A 12 and A 13 motorways if the destination is located:
• in Italy or in a country that can only be reached via Italy;
• in Germany or a country that can only be reached via Germany.
by Italy’s petrol station operators to stage 48-hour strike
The strike is scheduled to start today (Jan, 24) at 7:00 PM and will continue until the same time on Thursday (Jan, 26).
The strike is a protest against the government’s measures to fight the rise in fuel prices, including daily inspections of fuel prices to detect possibly unjustified price increases and the requirement imposed on operators to publish the average price per litre from their region in addition to the price of petrol charged at their pumps.
After failed negotations with the government, the trade unions Faib, Fegica and Figisc-Anisa have called a strike.
During the strike, drivers will not generally be able to refuel, even at self-service stations, though some pumps will remain in operation. In addition, petrol stations directly operated by the oil companies could also remain exempt from the strike.