Assumption Day is the best-known date on the calendar, but it is not the only public holiday likely to disrupt road freight operations.
The first restriction takes effect on 1 August. Below is a country-by-country overview of the public holiday HGV bans scheduled for the month, including their operating hours and the relevant vehicle thresholds.
1 August
- Switzerland – 00:00–24:00. The restriction applies on Swiss National Day and covers goods vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes.
5 August
- Croatia – 14:00–23:00. The restriction applies on Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day. It covers goods vehicles and vehicle combinations exceeding 7.5 tonnes, as well as lorries and vehicles with trailers measuring more than 14 metres in length.
14 August
- France – 22:00–24:00. The restriction applies to goods vehicles and vehicle combinations with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes.
- Luxembourg – 23:30–24:00 towards Germany and 21:30–24:00 towards France. It applies to vehicles exceeding 7.5 tonnes, with or without a trailer.
- Poland – 18:00–22:00. The restriction applies to vehicles and vehicle combinations with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 12 tonnes.
15 August
- Austria – 00:00–22:00. The restriction applies to tractors with trailers where the gross vehicle weight of either the tractor or the trailer exceeds 3.5 tonnes. It also covers goods vehicles and articulated vehicles exceeding 7.5 tonnes.
- Croatia – 14:00–23:00.
- France – 00:00–22:00.
- Luxembourg – 00:00–21:45.
- Poland – 08:00–22:00.
- Slovenia – 08:00–22:00. The restriction applies to goods vehicles and vehicle combinations with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes.
- Italy – 07:00–22:00. It applies to goods vehicles and vehicle combinations used for freight transport with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes.
19 August
- Hungary – 22:00–24:00. The restriction applies to goods vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes.
20 August
- Hungary – 00:00–22:00. The restriction coincides with St Stephen’s Day.
29 August
- Slovakia – 00:00–22:00. The restriction is associated with the anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising.
Seasonal restrictions also apply
This overview covers public holiday restrictions only. Separate driving bans may apply at weekends, overnight or during the summer holiday period.
Seasonal summer restrictions are in force in several European countries, including Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, France, Austria, Hungary and Italy.
