The holiday season has begun, i.e. the hot period in transport, because of holiday traffic restrictions in Europe.
It is a big challenge for Carriers - staff shortages caused by holidays, traffic bans and finding free parking spaces in often filled safe parking lots.
Carriers must skillfully plan the best routes for their vehicles, taking into account, among other things, summer traffic bans.
What does it look like in each country?
POLAND:
In Poland, holiday traffic bans for trucks are intended to limit their movement on Fridays, weekends, and holidays, when passenger car traffic increases.
The restrictions we list apply to vehicles with a total permissible weight of more than 12 tonnes.
The traffic ban is in place from June 21 to August 28, 2024, on:
Fridays from 18:00 to 22:00,
Saturdays from 08:00 am to 14:00,
Sundays from 08:00 am to 22:00
August 14 - the day before the holiday - from 18:00 to 22:00
and August 15th - Feast of the Assumption of the NMP - from 08:00 am to 22:00
Who is not covered by the ban?
Used vehicles, among others:
for the direct supply of fuel, oil materials, lubricating oil, spare parts and drinking water to seagoing vessels,
for the carriage of equipment for handling mass events, in connection with the organization of such events,
for the carriage of perishable articles and foodstuffs, e.g. meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, cut and potted flowers, fats, oils, soft drinks and other products constituting a significant part of the cargo or a considerable part of the available cargo space,
GERMANY:
In Germany, a permanent traffic ban for trucks with DMCs over 7.5 tons is in force in:
Sundays and holidays from 00:00 to 22:00,
in July and August, however, it is extended on some sections of the road every Saturday from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Who is not restricted?
On German roads, this ban, to some extent does not cover vehicles used in combined transport, as well as cars transporting fresh dairy products, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables and vehicles going to the place where such products are loaded “empty”.
FRANCE:
In France, the ban will apply during the summer period for trucks with DMCs over 7.5 tons on:
most Saturdays from 7:00 to 19:00
Sundays from 00:00 to 22:00
and on the eve of the holiday from 22:00 to 22:00 on the holiday day, the prohibition should be respected on 13 July, which precedes the national holiday - 14 July and 14 August on the eve of the holidays.
The restriction will avoid vehicles carrying perishable food or goods that require a constant, controlled temperature.
THE CZECH REPUBLIC:
Besides the standard traffic restriction on Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. - from July 1st to August 31st, trucks with DMC over 7.5 tons will be prohibited in:
Saturdays from 07:00 am to 13:00
Fridays from 17:00 to 21:00
And Christmas, i.e. 5 and 6 July
The restrictions shall not apply to vehicles used in combined transport in the section from the consignor to the nearest place of unloading, as well as trucks carrying perishable goods - provided that sensitive products occupy at least half of the cargo space.
SLOVAKIA:
The ban will apply to all:
Saturdays from 7am to 7pm
Sundays from 00:00 to 22:00
holidays - July 5 (St. Cyril and Methodius) and August 29 (Anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising).
Vehicles used in combined transport, for loading and unloading ships, rail cars or aircraft, vehicles used for sports and cultural events, vehicles transporting food, and others will avoid the restrictions.
AUSTRIA:
In Austria, besides the standard weekend ban in force on Saturdays from 15:00 to 00:00 and on Sundays and holidays from 00:00 to 22:00 - from 6 July to 31 August, drivers of vehicles over 7.5 tonnes will also have to comply with the restrictions on the A13 motorway leading through the Brenner Pass on all Saturdays in the hours from 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
ITALY:
In Italy in July and August, the permanent ban on the movement of trucks with DMCs over 7.5 tons, in force on Sundays between 7.00 and 22.00, is extended to:
Saturdays from 8:00 to 16:00
and a holiday on August 15 from 7:00 to 22:00.
However, the ban will not cover: trucks carrying products for medical use, food, tanks used for the transport of liquid or gas fuels, intended for distribution and consumption both public and private, and others.
It is also worth mentioning that with vehicles coming from abroad equipped with the appropriate documentation confirming the start of the journey and the place of destination of the cargo, the start time of the ban is postponed by four hours.
In addition, the start time of application of the ban shall be extended by four hours, with vehicles equipped with appropriate documentation confirming the start of the journey and destination of the cargo coming from:
Foreigners,
Sardinia,
or Sicily.
However, when planning the route, it is worth getting acquainted with the current prohibitions in the territory of a given country to avoid mandates and fines.
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