Four EU countries suspend holiday HGV driving bans

The suspension has been introduced by Slovakia, Italy, Germany and Spain in connection with the pandemic.

SLOVAKIA

At the request of the Slovakian road transport association ČESMAD, a general exemption from the HGV driving ban has been granted on April 2 and 5 in connection with the Easter holidays. The exemption applies to all HGVs traveling on motorways, roads for motor vehicles, class I roads and roads with international traffic, arriving in Slovakia from some neighbouring countries and heading for destinations (e.g. company headquarters or place of unloading) located within Slovakia.

ITALY

The Italian Ministry of Transport has once again lifted the driving ban for vehicles with a total weight of over 7.5 tons by virtue of a ministerial decree issued on March 23.
This means that on March 28 and from April 2 to 6 HGVs with a MAM of 7.5 tons will be allowed to drive on non-urban roads.

The decision has been motivated by the coronavirus crisis and the need to improve the transport system and traffic flow.

GERMANY

This year, the federal states have also lifted the driving ban on Sundays and public holidays in accordance with Section 30 (3) of the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) by means of general exemption orders for all Easter holidays, so that there is no driving ban for the entire period from Maundy Thursday to Easter Monday inclusive.
The general exemption generally covers all transports as well as empty runs. Due to further lockdown extensions, the federal states have also extended their general exemptions until April 05, 2021 (Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Baden-Württemberg, Schleswig-Holstein, Brandenburg, Hesse, Berlin and Rhineland-Palatinate until June 30, 2021). Details in the table below:

SPAIN

The new resolution on HGV traffic restrictions in 2021 was published on 25 January. Taking into account traffic restrictions introduced in the Autonomous Communities and approved by the Interterritorial Health Council for the period of the Holy Week, the General Directorate of Traffic has once again agreed to suspend from Friday 26 March to Monday 5 April restrictions that apply to vehicles with a MAM of more than 7.5 t, special vehicles and vehicles requiring an additional permit, following the example of the Basque Country, where similar exceptions have also been introduced. A similar suspension is also likely to be approved by the Catalonian Traffic Directorate.
However, these temporary exemptions will not affect restrictions on special transports performed at weekends and to vehicles carrying dangerous goods, i.e. those listed in part B.2.2 or to the general and specific restrictions set out in Annex V of the resolution of 25 January.
The suspension will also not apply to roads leading to the French border on the following sections and dates:

SLOVENIA

Despite the decree extending the state of epidemic emergency in the country until April 16, introducing an exemption from the driving ban for all HGVs and vehicle combinations with a MAM of over 7.5 tons in the period from March 18, 2021 to April 16 between 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., the state authorities have decided to reintroduce restrictions during the Easter holidays.

❗ Regardless of the general suspension of the HGV driving ban in the period from March 18 to April 16, the exemption does NOT apply during the Easter period, i.e. from 3 to 5 April inclusive.