by No HGV traffic through Lüdenscheid: the police will monitor compliance
On June 10, the town of Lüdenscheid banned all vehicles with a GVW of more than 3.5 tonnes from passing through the town. Since June 12 the district police has been monitoring compliance with the ban, which they are planning to continue for several weeks.
The ban was introduced to mitigate the effects of the closure of the BAB 45 motorway on December 2, 2021. The situation has not only affected residents living near the diversion or alternative routes but also commuters as well as local businesses.
The ban applies to all vehicles with a GVW of over 3.5 tonnes. After obtaining a special permit, the town can only be accessed by vehicles performing regional transport operations (the first and the next loading point are no more than 75 km apart) as well as those that set out from or deliver goods to Lüdenscheid.
For the first few weeks since the introduction of the ban, the local police will intensively check if drivers comply with the ban. It is estimated that around 5,500 vehicle subject to the HGV road levy (with a GVW of over 7,5 tonnes) will pass through checkpoints every working day. In addition, there is a still unknown number of vehicles that are not subject to the HGV road levy. Cars with trailers that are used for commercial purposes and weigh more than 3.5 tons can also be affected by the ban.
Drivers who fail to observe the ban face a fine of 100 euros plus an administrative fee (no penalty points). However, being turned back and having to take a long detour is likely to be a much more severe punishment.
The police checks take place primarily at the following locations:
– Lüdenscheid North, in the area of the L 692
– Brunscheider Straße in the area of the Lüdenscheid junction center
– Lüdenscheid-Süd junction
– Lüdenscheid Bruges (B 54, B 229)
by Closures of the Mont Blanc Tunnel in June and July
Since June 14, traffic in the Mont Blanc tunnel will be temporarily affected by complete closures associated with renovation works on two 300-meter sections of the tunnel.
June
• 14 June 11:30 PM to 16 June 06:00 AM (30 hrs 30 mins),
• 19/20 June, from 7:30 PM-06:00 AM (10 hrs 30 mins),
• 20/ 21 June, from 7:30 PM-06:00 AM (10 hrs 30 mins),
• 21/ 22 June, from 7:30 PM-06:00 AM (10 hrs 30 mins),
• 22/23 June, from 7:30 PM-06:00 AM (10 hrs 30 mins),
• 26/27 June, from 7:00 PM-06:00 AM (11 hrs),
• 28/ 29 June, from 22:00 PM to 06:00 AM (8 hrs);
• 29/30 June, from 22:00 PM to 06:00 AM (8 hrs).
July
• 3/4 July, from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM (8 hrs)
• 4/5 July, from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM (8 hrs)
• 5/6 July, from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM (8 hrs)
• 6/7 July, from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM (8 hrs)
There will be 15 weeks of disruptions in the tunnel from August 4 to December 18.
by England: night closures of M6 and M42
The closures will take place between 14 and 19 June, from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM.
National Highways is advising drivers to plan their journeys with the M6 in Warwickshire fully closed overnight for HS2 works. Lorry drivers are advised to follow the official diversion signs.
M6
The M6 northbound carriageway will be closed from 14 June until 19 June from 9pm to 5am between Junction 4 (Coleshill) and Junction 4a (Water Orton).
❗ Diversion
Northbound traffic on the M6 will be directed to exit at junction 4 onto the A446 to junction 9 of the M42. Traffic will then be directed south down the M42 exiting at junction 8 then back on to the northbound carriageway of the M6
M42
The M42 northbound will also be closed at junction 7 onto the M6 northbound from the same time and dates.
❗ Diversion
Traffic wishing to exit the M42 on to the northbound carriageway of the M6 will be directed up to junction 9 of the M42 then back down the southbound carriageway of the M42 exiting at junction 8 back onto the M6 northbound.
by Get in touch with your ferry operator – potetial disurption at Border controls in Calais, Dunkirk and Coquelles
The Public and Commercial Service (PCS) union has announced Civil Service industrial action that will impact Border Force operations.
The strike, scheduled to take place on April 28 and 29 until 7am, will impact those travelling to the UK from UK Border controls in Calais, Dunkirk and Coquelles in Northern France.
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.
by Germany – exception to the ban on Corpus Christi in Saxony
In contrast to North Rhine-Westphalia, the holiday driving ban, as set out in Article 30 paragraph 3 of the Road Traffic Act (StVO), does not apply in Lower Saxony on Corpus Christi.
By way of derogation from Article 30, paragraph 3, sentence 1 and paragraph 4 of StVO, lorries and tractors with trailers with a GVW of more than 7.5 tons may be used for commercial transport of goods, including empty journeys, between 00:00 and 10:00PM on Corpus Christi on the following routes:
Motorway A1: From the Lotte/Osnabrück intersection across part of Lower Saxony to the border between North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony in the area of the Osnabrück-Nord junction and in the opposite direction.
Motorway A2: From the Bad Oeynhausen intersection to the border between North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony in the area of the Bad Eilsen junction and in the opposite direction.
Motorway A30: From the border between Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia in the area of the Rheine-Nord junction to the border between North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony in the area of the Hasbergen-Gaste junction and from the border between Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia in the area of the Bruchmühlen junction to the motorway junction Bad Oeynhausen (Autobahn A 2) and in the opposite direction.
by Hungary introduces night-time exemptions from the HGV driving ban during the Pentacost weekend
The Hungarian Ministry of Transport has approved night-time breaks in the driving ban for vehicles with a GVW above 7.5t during the Pentecost weekend.
Consequently, HGVs will be allowed to drive:
• from 10:00 PM on Saturday, May 27 to 6:00 AM on Sunday, May 28;
• from 10:00 PM on Sunday, May 28, to 6:00 AM on Monday, May 29.
The driving ban will apply as follows:
• on May 28 (Pentecost Sunday) from 06:00 AM to 10:00 PM;
• on May 29 (Whit Monday) from 06:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
by Flooding and impassable roads in northern Italy
Because of heavy rains that have hit the central part of northern Italy, many roads are impassable and closed.
The list of affected areas includes the provinces of Bologna, Ferrara, Forlì-Cesena, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Ravenna, Reggio Emilia and Rimini, where 20 rivers have overflowed. Restrictions for vehicles with a GVW of over 7.5 have been introduced on several road sections, e.g. on the A14 motorway in near San Marino and Rimini. Drivers need to watch out for fallen trees and muddy roads. Lorry drivers are also advised not to drive along flooded road sections, because sanding water seeps into the asphalt and into the foundation, causing the surface to easily crack under the weight of HGVs.
A free interactive map showing the current situation on the roads can be very helpful for haulage companies operating in Italy.
by Catalonia: HGV restrictions on AP-7 from May 12 to October 15
Fllowing the abolition of toll charges on some motorway sections, traffic volume has significantly increased, causing difficulties for drivers leaving or returning during weekends.
For this reason, the Catalonian Transit Authority has decided to implement additional lanes in the opposite direction. To ensure traffic safety, additional restrictions have been introduced for HGVs with a GVW over 7.5 tonnes.
Restrictions on the AP-7 motorway
✅ Outgoing traffic:
A. The following restrictions apply on Fridays:
• between KP 126, exit 12B in La Roca del Vallès, Granollers and the juncture with C-60, in the commune of La Roca del Vallés, and KP 172, exit 25 in Martorell and the juncture with A-2, in the commune of Martorell, HGVs have to use the right lane and must not overtake other vehicles in either directions from 3:00 PM and 9:00 PM;
• between KP 172, exit 25 in Martorell and the junction with the A-2, in the municipality of Martorell, and KP 176.6, exit 26 in Gelida and Sant Llorenç d’Hortons, in the municipality of Gelida, HGVs have to use the right lane and must not overtake other vehicles when travelling in the southern direction from 3:00 PM and 9:00 PM. Commericial vehicles with a GVW of up to 3.5 tons must not drive faster than 100 km/h.
B. The following restrictions apply on Saturdays:
• between KP 172, exit 25 in Martorell and the junction with the A-2, in the commune of Martorell, and KP 176.6, exit 26 in Gelida and Sant Llorenç d’Hortons, in the commune of Gelida, HGVs have to use the right lane and and must not overtake other vehicles travelling in the southern direction from 09:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Commericial vehicles with a GVW of up to 3.5 tons must not drive faster than 100 km/h.
✅Return traffic:
A. The following restrictions apply on Sundays:
The implementation of contraflow lanes is associted with additional restrictions for heavy goods vehicles with a GVW above 7.5 t, i.e. the obligation to use the right lane, the prohibition to overtake and a speed limit of 80 km/h, in both directions, from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Contraflow lanes are typically implemented on the following motorway sections:
• C-32 north (from PK 114 to PK 84+500)
• C-32 south (from PK 60 to PK 47)
• AP-7 north (from KP 111 to KP 133.5)
• AP-7 south (from KP 213 of the AP-7 to KP 8 of the B-23)
Please note that if a contraflow lane is not implemented on the southern section of the AP-7, between KP 176.6, exit 26 in Gelida and Sant Llorenç d’Hortons, in the municipality of Gelida, and KP 172, exit 25 to Martorell and the junction with the A-2 in the commune of Martorell, HGVs have to use the right lane and must not overtake other vehicles travelling in the northern direction from 03:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Commericial vehicles with a GVW of up to 3.5 tons must not drive faster than 100 km/h
The above restrictions also apply to vehicles exempt from the restrictions established in Resolution INT/183/2023.
On the days and times mentioned in this notice, HGV drivers can stop to rest at the closed toll collection areas along the AP-7 motorway in Martorell and La Roca.
by More border controls
Austria
Temporary controls along the border with Slovenia and Hungary will last from midnight on May 12 to midnight on November 11. Throughout this period people travelling to and from these two countries by land can only use border crossings.
Slovakia
Controls on the borders with Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland will be introduced from May 24 to June 8. How long the border controls are in effect will depend on the current security situation and be kept to a necessary minimum.
Germany
Brandenburg and Saxony have asked the federal minister of the interior to temporarily bring back controls on the borders with Poland and the Czech Republic in an effort to limit the illegal entry of refugees into the country.
Dorohusk, Koroszczyn
Since May 4, Polish road hauliers have been blocking the border with Ukraine in Dorohusk and Koroszczyn. At the moment, only vehicles carrying danegerous goods (ADR), perishable goods and buses are allowed to cross the border. Other lorries will not be allowed to pass until the hauliers‘ demands are met. They have said that it is very likely that protests will be extended to other border crossings.
by UK – Closure of the M40 and A34 roads
National Highways has released a full list of where drivers can expect closures along the M40 and A34 on Thursday, May 11
M40
Jct 9 Southbound Carriageway closure (9.30pm-6am)
A34
– A34 southbound Peartree to Botley carriageway closure (9pm-6am)
– A34 northbound East Ilsley entry slip road closure (9pm-6am)
– A34 northbound East Ilsley exit slip road closure (9pm-6am)
– A34 northbound Beedon entry slip road closure (9pm-6am)