HGV restrictions in Catalonia: obligation to use the right lane and no overtaking

The Catalan Transit Directorate has announced its proposed HGV restrictions, some of which have caused controversy in recent years.

After the abolition of tolls on the AP-7 in September 2021, the Catalan Transit Directorate decided that on Sundays and holidays lorries should keep a speed limit of 80 km/h, only use the right lane and are not allowed to overtake. According to the proposal, on some sections of the AP-7 these restrictions would apply every day.
Proposed HGV restrictions on the AP-7:
• an obligation to use the right lane on the 30km section of the AP-7 between Calafat and Camarles on all days of the week;
• an obligation to use the right lane on the Martorell-Gelida section when the speed limit of 100 km/h is in effect from Friday to Sunday;
• a driving ban on all weekends and other public holidays in July;
• a driving ban when exiting the metropolitan ring and an obligation to use the right lane in the AP-7 section between Martorell and La Roca on Fridays and evenings before holidays;
• a driving ban on Sundays on motorway sections where additional lanes in the opposite direction have been set up and the obligation to use the right lane and keep a speed limit of 80 km/h.
Since lorries are not able to drive on national roads, despite the fact that traffic intensity on these roads has fallen after the abolition of tolls on the AP-7, the proposed measures have been criticised by road haulage associations.