by Slovakia: an exemption from the HGV driving ban on 1 and 17 November
Because of the upcoming public holiday, the Police Presidium of the Slovak Republic has granted a general exemption from the HGV driving ban on on 1 and 17 November
The exemption applies to all heavy goods vehicles traveling on motorways, first class roads and roads with international traffic, arriving in Slovakia from some neighboring countries and heading for destinations (e.g. company headquarters or place of unloading) located within Slovakia.
by _No driving ban for transports of fuel
On October 20, Andrzej Adamczyk, Minister of Infrastructure, signed an amendment to the regulation on periodic driving restrictions and bans regarding certain types of vehicles.
With the start of the heating season and problems with the availability of fuels, vehicles carrying fuel products have been exempted from the driving ban. The exemption became effective on October 22 without a time limit.
Art. 3 sec. 1, item 3 of the amended regulation of the Minister of Transport of 31 July 2007 contains an additional category of vehicles and vehicle combinations with a GVW of over 12 tonnes which are exempt from the driving ban, namely those used “for transporting coal, coke and other solid fuels produced from coal, as well as firewood, pellets and briquettes”.
by Austria introduces border checks
The controls have been brought back at 11 border crossing points for an initial period of 10 days.
According to the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, temporary border checks, reinstated at the Austrian-Slovak border from 29 September, are a reaction to increasing illegal immigration. The ministry spokesman said that the border checks will be conducted along the entire length oft he border, but above all on the main routes.
by The Mont Blanc Tunnel closed for 21 days
Owing to the complete resurfacing of the road with conservation work over the entire length of the tunnel, the Mont-Blanc Tunnel will be completely closed to traffic from 5 p.m. on Monday, 17 October to 10 a.m. on Monday, 7 November.
See the map of possible alternative routes:
Source of information and graphics: Tunnel Mont Blanc
by Norway to adopt Mobility Package rules from November 1
Although Norway is not an EU member and is not obliged to comply with these regulations, the country’s Ministry of Transport has concluded that the EU Mobility Package will help to make the road transport sector a better place to work and do business. This is why the ministry has decided to adopt new regulations on driving and rest periods for drivers, the use of tachographs in vehicles and the rules regarding access to the occupation of a road transport operator.
The new regulations are part of the mobility package’s so-called social part, which was included in the EEA agreement on 18 March.
The most important regulations that take effect on November 1:
⏺ an international transport licence is required to operate vans over 2.5 tonnes. Hauliers must also meet other requirements such as headquarters located in the EEA area, good reputation, sufficient financial standing and professional competence.
⏺ the cabotage rules will also apply to international transport by vans.
⏺ vehicles in international transport are required to return to their operational centre in the country of origin every 8 weeks.
⏺ transport companies have to make arrangements for drivers to be able to take at least one regular weekly rest at home during each four-week period,
⏺ drivers are not allowed to take their weekly rest in the vehicle
⏺ renumeration for drivers cannot depend on how quickly the goods are delivered.
⏺ The cooling-off period of 4 days after the last completed cabotage operation during which foreign vehicles are not allowed to perform cabotage operations in Norway.
Changes effective from 2026:
⏺ the rules on driving and rest times will apply to vans with a MAM of 2.5 to 3.5 tons used in international transport
⏺ vans with a MAM of 2.5 to 3.5 tons used in international transport will have to be equipped with a tachograph
by HGV restrictions in Catalonia
Owing to forecasts of significant increases in traffic volume on the 21st and 23rd of October, 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, October 21, 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.
On Sunday, October 23, between 3:00 PM and 10:00 PM, the restrictions will apply on the following road sections:
➖ the northbound AP-7 motorway, between KP 111.1, exit 11 at Sant Celoni and Montseny in the commune of Sant Celoni, and KP 133.8, exit 13 at Granollers, Montornès del Vallès and Vilanova del Vallés, in the municipality of Montornès del Vallès.
by October 3 – can I drive along state roads?
On the 3rd of October, Germany celebrates the Day of German Unity, which is a national holiday.
Can HGVs be driven on this day, for example on state roads (Landesstraßen)?
❗ Unfortunately, on this day, an HGV driving ban for vehicles with a GVW of over 7.5t applies in the entire German road network between 00:00 AM and 10:00 PM.
In addition, owing to the public holiday in Germany, Austria and Italy have also introduced HGV driving bans to avoid congestion at the border.
⛔ Austria: the ban for vehicles with a GVW of more than 7.5t is in effect from 00:00 AM and 10:00 PM the on Inntalautobahn (A12) and Brennerautobahn (A13) in the direction of Germany.
⛔ Italy: the ban for vehicles with a GVW of over 7.5t is in effect from 00:00 AM and 10:00 PM on the A22 section from Sterzing/Vipiteno to the Austrian border for northbound trasports, if their destination is located in Germany or must be reached via Germany.
by Germany: closure of the A7 near Hamburg
From 10:00 PM on Thursday, November 17, to 5:00 AM on Monday, November 21, the A7 between the Hamburg-Volkspark and Hamburg-Waltershof junctions will be completely closed to traffic.
The port of Hamburg can be reached from the south until 10:00 PM on Friday, November 18.
HGVs (with abnormal loads) have to take a big detour to avoid the A7 as traffic will be closed in both directions. Difficulties are also to be expected on diversions routes.
The closure is due to the eight-lane expansion of the A7.
by Night closure of the Mont Blanc tunnel
Maintenance work on the French tunnel is starting and it has been decided to introduce changes to night-time traffic.
To allow the services to operate, traffic in the Mont Blanc tunnel will be completely interrupted at night:
– from Monday, 10 October, to Tuesday, 11 October, from 10pm to 6am,
– from Tuesday 11 October, to Wednesday 12 October from 7.30pm to 6am,
– from Wednesday, October 12, to Thursday, October 13, from 7.30 p.m. to 6 a.m,
– Thursday 13 October, to Friday 14 October, from 7.30pm to 6am.
Source: Febetra
by Czech authorities introduce controls on the border with Slovakia
The goal is to prevent illegal migration and activities of organized groups of smugglers.
Given the growing scale of illegal transit migration to the Czech Republic, the country’s government has decided to reintroduce temporary controls on the border with Slovakia from September 29 to October 8, 2022. Border controls will be restored along the entire length of the state border with Slovakia at 27 former border crossings, including 17 road, 7 rail and 3 river border crossings.
The government has reintroduced border controls following recent efforts by the police to prevent a growing number of people from illegally crossing the border with Slovakia.