by Slovenia: more traffic and the HGV driving ban on February 8
Because Thursday, February 8, is a public holiday in Slovenia, there is driving ban for heavy goods vehicles.
The ban applies to lorries and vehicle combinations with a maximum authorised mass exceeding 7.5 tons from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. HGV traffic is expected to increase on Wednesday (Feb 7) before the holiday and on Friday (9/02) after the holiday. Difficulties are also expected on the route from Postojna to Cerklje ob Krki (A1/A2) on Friday due to increased traffic of military vehicles accompanied by military police.
by Spain relaxes driving and rest time regulations in response to road blocks in France
The Spanish Ministry of Transport has approved a temporary relaxation of driving and rest time for hauliers affected by protests of French farmers.
In the face of difficulties experienced by tens of thousands of Spanish hauliers caused by protests started two weeks ago by French farmers against the new environmental, tax and social policies introduced by the government of Galicia and the European Union, FENADISMER, a major Spanish transport association, has asked the Ministry of Transport to introduce temporary derogations from driving and rest times. About 30% of the entire Spanish transport fleet, or approximately 100,000 lorries, are affected by protests as they try to cross France heading for destinations in the rest of Europe. Every day, over 11,000 trucks cross the Spanish border in La Junquera, and about 10,000 in Irun. Financial losses sustained by Spanish hauliers due to these protests amount to EUR 10 million a day.
As a result, the Spanish Ministry of Transport has extended the maximum driving time for hauleirs affected by road blocks in France. These derogations are in force from January 22 to February 4.
By virtue of the derogation
◾ the daily driving time has been extended from 9 to 11 hours and weekly driving time – from 56 to 60 hours
◾ the total fortnightly driving time has been extended from 90 to 120 hours,
◾ the daily rest period has been reduced from 11 to 9 hours. In addition, drivers may take two consecutive reduced weekly rests of at least 24 hours, under certain conditions.
❗The temporary derogation applies only to hauliers who can present documents confirming that they are transporting goods through France during the period specified above.
by Austria: Weekend HGV driving ban on the A10
The Austrian Minister for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology has introduced an HGV driving ban on the A 10 motorway on certain Fridays and Saturdays in the winter of 2024.
§ 1. The ban applies to vehicles with a MAM of more than 7.5 t
❌ on all Fridays from January 26 to March 29 inclusive, between 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
a) on the southbound carriageway in the direction of Villach between the Salzburg intersection (where the A10 branches off the A1) and the Pongau intersection, if the destination of the journey is in Italy or Slovenia or has to be reached via Italy or Slovenia and
b) on the northbound carriageway in the direction of Salzburg, between the Rennweg junction and the Golling junction, if the destination of the journey is located in Germany or the Czech Republic, or has to be reached via Germany or the Czech Republic;
❌ on all Saturdays from January 27 to March 30, 2024 from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
a) on the southbound carriageway in the direction of Villach between the Salzburg intersection (where the A10 branches off the A1) and the Pongau intersection, and
b) on the northbound carriageway in the direction of Salzburg, between the Rennweg junction and the Golling junction.
§ 2. (1) The following are exempt from the driving bans mentioned in § 1:
◾ 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 as well as trips to and from the construction site undertaken for the purpose of the general renovation of the tunnel systems on the A 10 motorway between the Golling and Werfen junctions;
◾ Journeys for the exclusive purpose of transporting fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh milk and fresh milk products, fresh meat and fresh meat products, fresh fish and fresh fish products, live fish, eggs, fresh mushrooms, fresh baked goods and confectionery products, fresh herbs as potted or cut plants, and of ready-to-eat food preparations, including related empty journeys or return journeys to transport packaging of the aforementioned groups of goods. A consignment note or a loading list for individual un/loading points must be carried with each transport and should be presented on request during an inspection. It must be possible to determine the quantity of carried goods at the beginning and during the journey.
◾ Journeys performed exclusively to transport goods to or from airports (Section 64 of the Aviation Act) or military airfields that are used for civil aviation purposes in accordance with Section 62 (3) of the Aviation Act;;
◾ 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.
(2) Excluded from the driving ban mentioned the in § 1 item 2 are empty journeys undertaken until 10 AM to the driver’s place of residence, the company’s headquarters, freight terminal, truck yard, the vehicle’s permanent parking place or another location where the employer provides the driver with a means of returning home either by public transport or in a company vehicle.
§ 3. Regulations that impose other driving bans remain unaffected.
by A weekend closure of the Fréjus Tunnel
The Fréjus Road Tunnel, which connects France and Italy will be completely closed for maintenance from 10:00 PM on January 26 to 6:00 AM on January 29.
Traffic disruptions are also expected on subsequent nights until February 4. A variable traffic schedule has been prepared to ensure road safety during the maintenance work.
by Czechia introduces a CO2 emission charge from March 1
Starting from March 1, the electronic toll system in the Czech Republic will include a new charge component for CO2 emissions from HGVs, in line with Directive (EU) 2022/362 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
New toll rates will appply to all categories of vehicles and will include four components:
➡️ the road use charge;
➡️ the charge for noise pollution;
➡️ the charge for air pollution charge (according to the EURO standard);
➡️ the charge for CO2 emissions;
Under the EU legislation, there are five emission classes, with the highest charge rates in the 1st emission class. The 5th emission class is reserved for emission-free vehicles.
Vehicles first registered before July 1, 2019 and all M2 and M3 vehicles (buses) will automatically be included in the 1st emission class and are not eligible for a higher emission class, where the rates are lower.
Hauliers owning vehicles first registered after July 1, 2019, are advised to check the manufacturer’s documentation and use the emission class finder on www.mytocz.eu/co2 to find out whether their vehicle can be re-assigned to a higher emission class with a lower toll rate.
Users are not required to check the emission class of vehicles registered after July 1, 2019. They will not be penalized for using a vehicle that is eligible for a higher CO2 emission class but remains in the 1st emission class. They can have their vehicle inspected and apply for a higher CO2 emission class at any time in the future; there is no deadline for submitting an electronic application.
Not all vehicles first registered after July 1, 2019 meet the requirements associated with higher CO2 emission classes (2nd to 5th). This depends on whether they comply with the parameters specified in the Directive, which can be checked with the CO2 Emission Class Finder. In addition, users have to submit all necessary documentation.
The CO2 Emission Class Finder is available here
The new toll calculation method will come into effect from March 1. The changes will not affect the wholesale discount system.
by Complete closures of the A1/A59 near Leverkusen
The disruptions are part of preparations for the opening of the bridge over the Rhine. Once the new bridge is open to traffic, all existing weight restrictions will no longer apply. The A1 motorway will be closed in the direction of Dortmund and Trier/Koblenz, and the A59 in the direction of Leverkusen and Düsseldorf.
The first part of the new bridge structure has been completed. Before the official opening on February 4, a lot of work is still required to connect it to the existing road network and ensure traffic safety. Elements that are no longer needed, such as truck barriers or old overhead cranes and their foundations, are being dismantled. During the complete closure of the A1 and A59, other works will also be carried out that would not be possible if the bridge was open to regular traffic.
Top questions and facts about the closure
What will be closed and when?
➡ On Friday, January 19, from 10 PM the A1 motorway in the direction of Dortmund will be completely closed between the Cologne-Nord and Leverkusen junctions and in the direction of Trier/Koblenz between the Leverkusen junction and the Cologne-Niehl junction. The work related to the closure starts at 8 PM, which means that it will no longer be possible to use of specific lanes, especially at motorway junctions and intersections.
➡ On January 19, from 8 PM, the A59 motorway in the direction of Leverkusen will be closed from the Monheim-Süd motorway triangle to the end of the motorway and in the direction of Düsseldorf between the Rheinallee entrance and the Rheindorf junction.
How will traffic be diverted?
➡ Diversions for transit traffic
Information about the complete closure of the A1 will be displayed well in advance on variable message signs, e.g. in front of the Wuppertal-Nord junction. Diversions for through traffic in Dortmund and the nearby towns on the right bank of the Rhine and Koblenz/Ter, as well as the nearby towns on the left bank of the Rhine, are marked in red and run along the Cologne ring road.
In the direction of Koblenz/Trier, traffic will be diverted from the Leverkusen junction via the A3 towards Frankfurt and from the Heumar motorway triangle via the A4 towards Aachen. The diversion towards Dortmund will start from the Cologne-Nord junction on the A1 motorway towards Trier to the Cologne-West junction. The red diversion route leads to the A4 towards Olpe and from the Heumar motorway triangle to the A3 towards Oberhausen.
➡ Diversion due to the closure of the A59 motorway
The A59 motorway will be closed starting from the Monheim-Süd motorway triangle. Diversions are compulsary for all vehicles traveling to Leverkusen along the A542 towards Langenfeld and the Langenfeld motorway triangle via the A3 towards Frankfurt to the Leverkusen-Zentrum junction.
➡ Diversion in the Leverkusen city center
Since access to the A59 motorway is closed, there is a diversion in the city center (U11) to Rheinallee, marked with yellow signs. It leads via Rheinallee, Titanstrasse and Willy-Brandt-Ring to the Leverkusen-Zentrum junction.
There is also a diversion from the B8 in both directions via the U11 to the Willy-Brandt bypass.
➡ Recommendation for transit traffic
Vehicles in transit are advised to avoid the area where the A1 motorway is completely closed, and to use alternative routes whenever possible.
Dates and times of the closures
➡ Friday, January 19:
• from 8:00 PM the A59 motorway will be completely closed between the Monheim-Süd motorway triangle and the Leverkusen-West intersection as well as individual intersections and connecting lanes at intersections and motorway triangles;
• from 10 PM, the A1 motorway will be completely closed between the Leverkusen intersection and the Köln-Nord intersection.
➡ Monday, January 22:
• from 5:00 AM one lane of the A1 motorway between the Köln-Nord junction and the Köln-Niehl junction (FR Dortmund) will be reopened.
➡ Sunday, February 4:
• from 1:00 PM, the A1 and the Leverkusen Bridge will be officially opened by the Minister of Transport, Dr. Volker Wissing;
• individual closures will then be successively removed.
How will traffic flow after the bridge opens?
During the complete closure, both carriageways will be connected to the first part of the new bridge. After the official opening of the bridge on February 4, three narrowed lanes will be available from the Leverkusen intersection to the Cologne-Niehl junction towards Koblenz/Twir. In the direction of Dortmund, the main carriageway of the A1 at the Cologne-Niehl junction will be narrowed from three to two lanes. Between the Niehl junction and the Leverkusen Bridge, the slip lane will then be used as a third lane, so that there will be three narrowed lanes in this direction from the bridge.
The entire area between the Leverkusen intersection and the Cologne-Niehl junction is marked with yellow road markings due to the narrowed lanes. The speed limit along the entire section is 80 km/h. There is also a overtaking ban for lorries, coaches and combinations with trailers.
Will vehicle weight restrictions still apply on the bridge?
No, once the new bridge is opened, all existing weight restrictions will no longer apply. This means that lorries, coaches and all other vehicles will be able to cross the bridge again. This means that during the complete closure, all lorry barriers will be removed.
What will happen to lorry barriers?
During the complete closure, all five truck barriers will be dismantled (on the A1 motorway towards Dortmund and towards Koblenz, the parallel carriageway of the A1 motorway at the Cologne-Niehl junction towards Dortmund, Industriestrasse before the Cologne-Niehl junction towards Dortmund and on the A59 motorway Leverkusen-West junction towards Koblenz).
by UK is introducing new regulations, also for Polish carriers
From January 31, the UK will require an export health certificate (EHC). The requirement applies to mainly to live animals or animal products, but also to plants, fruit and vegetables.
The UK has repeatedly delayed introducing of customs checks on high-risk food imported from the EU. It has now been confirmed that from January 31, certain products from the EU, other EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Switzerland can continue to imported into the UK, provided they have received export health certificates (EHC).
“Brexit has complicated procedures for transporting goods, so it is necessary to follow changes in British law that affect exporters and importers from the EU, including Poland. The current certification procedure is the first step, which will be followed by physical inspections of food imported to the UK. This will require additional time spent at the border”, says Joanna Porath, owner of the AC Porath customs agency, specializing in customs services for the British market.
Health certificates
The biggest change concerna animal products. Health certificates will be required for meat products and any raw milk-based products.
“According to revised customs procedures introduced by the UK, all imported meat and dairy products require prior notification, and only heat-treated dairy products will not require a health certificate. According to other regulations, which are still in effect, imported animals and plants for planting always require health certificates and are subject to inspection”, says Steve Cock, Director of Customs Consultancy The Custom House Ltd.
As regards, fruit and vegetables from the EU, checks will be conducted depending on the risk category. i.e. low, medium and high. In most cases, they will not have to comply with UK trading standards or plant health regulations. However, the British government encourages carriers to check which goods imported into the UK will be subject to inspection. A detailed list of suchgoods can be found on the following pages:
Import risk categories for animal and animal product imports from the EU to Great Britain ⬅
by Traffic disruptions for HGVs on motorways in Italy and Germany
The German A42 motorway has been closed in both directions because of damage detected in a bridge between the Bottrop-Süd and Essen-Nord junctions. The Italian Camelosa viaduct on the A4-A26 has also been closed to vehicles with a MAM of over 19 tonnes.
Germany
The A42 motorway has been closed in both directions because of damage detected in a bridge between the Bottrop-Süd and Essen-Nord junctions. Since there is too much diversion traffic on local routes, Autobahn GmbH asks drivers to use newly designated diversion routes (see the map below). The motorway section might be reopened to car traffic in spring 2024 but HGVs are not expected to be able to use it in the near future.
Italy
After a technical inspection of the structure of the Camelosa viaduct on the 15th kilometer of the A4/A5 Ivrea-Santhià motorway junction, a driving ban has been introduced for vehicles with a MAM above 19 tons on the section between the A4 – A26 Santhià junction and the Albiano d’Ivrea junction, in both directions. Maintenance works are to take place in mid-January, which will involve removing the road surface in the direction of Santhià. As a result, vehicles with a MAM above 3.5 tons will also be prohibited from using this section in both directions.
HGVs coming from the A4 motorway and the A26/A4 Stroppiana – Santhià junction and heading towards Aosta will be diverted to the A4 Turin – Milan motorway in the direction of Turin and on to the A5 Turin – Aosta motorway at the Settimo Torinese junction. HGVs coming from Aosta and heading for Milan/Alessandria/Genoa are advised to continue along the A5 Turin – Aosta motorway towards Turin to reach the A4 motorway to Milan and the A21 motorway to Alessandria and Genoa.
by Austria: driving bans on the A10 before Christmas
The driving ban for heavy goods vehicles with a maximum authorised mass exceeding 7.5 t will be in effect on Friday (December 22) and Saturday (December 23) on the following sections of A 10 motorway:
❌ on Friday, December 22, from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM
a) southbound carriageway (in the direction of Villach) between the Salzburg junction (A 10 / A 1) and the Pongau junction, if the destination is located in Italy or Slovenia or must be reached via Italy or Slovenia, and
b) northbound carriageway (in the direction of Salzburg) between the Rennweg junction and the Golling junction, if the destination is located in Germany or the Czech Republic or must be reached via Germany or the Czech Republic;
❌ on Saturday, December 23, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
a) southbound carriageway (in the direction of Villach) between the Salzburg junction (A 10 / A 1) and the Pongau junction, and
b) northbound carriageway (in the direction of Salzburg) between the Rennweg junction and the Golling junction.
The following journeys are exempt from the driving bans:
1. 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 services, as well as journeys of vehicles used by travelling carnivals (Section 2 (1) Z 42 KFG 1967), incl. teams of lighting and sound engineers travelling to and from the venue, journeys according to § 42 para. 3a StVO, urgent journeys involving lorries, articulated vehicles or trucks with trailers used by the Austrian armed forces or foreign troops staying in Austria by virtue of the Troop Residence Act, BGBI I No. 57/2001, or humanitarian aid transports performed by recognized organizations; journeys associated with the renovation of the tunnels on the A 10 motorway between the Golling and the Werden junctions, as well as and deliveries originating or terminating in the federal state of Salzburg;
2. Journeys carried out exclusively for the purpose of transporting of fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh milk and fresh milk products, fresh meat and fresh meat products, fresh fish and fresh fish products, live fish, eggs, fresh mushrooms, fresh baked goods and confectionery, fresh herbs, potted plants or cut flowers and ready-to-eat food preparations, as well as related empty or return journeys to transport packaging for the above-mentioned groups of goods. Drivers must carry a waybill or a cargo manifest. It must always be possible to check the loading status (quantity) at the beginning and during transport.
3. Journeys performed exclusively to transport goods to or from airports (Section 64 of the Aviation Act) or military airfields that are used for civil aviation purposes in accordance with Section 62 (3) of the Aviation Act;
4. 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 recipient 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.
by Slovakia: derogation from the HGV driving ban
At the request of ČESMAD Slovakia, the Slovakian Presidium of the Police Force of has granted a general exemption from the driving ban in connection with the upcoming holidays.
On the 24th, 25th, 26th of December, and on the 1st and 6th January 1 and 6, 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 from certain neighbouring countries and bound for destinations (e.g. the company’s base or the place of unloading) located in Slovakia.