The night-time ban on heavy goods vehicles on the A12 motorway in Tirol allows for some exceptions. However, they are to expire at the end of this year.
Night traffic is banned on the A12 in Brenner in both directions between 6 km (near Langkampfen) and 90 km (Zirl). The ban covers trucks and articulated vehicles with a maximum gross vehicle weight of more than 7.5 t, as well as trucks and self-propelled machinery with trailers where the gross vehicle weight exceeds 7.5 t.
Depending on the season, these vehicles cannot use the route during the following hours:
– from May to October from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Sundays and public holidays,
– from November to April, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays and from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Sundays and public holidays.
Pursuant to local legislation (LGBl. 64/2010 as amended by LGBl. 62/2016), certain exceptions are permitted. Exempted from the ban are heavy duty vehicles meeting the Euro 6 emission standard (provided that the Euroclass is confirmed by the vehicle’s appropriate marking in accordance with the IG-L regulation on the marking of emission classes). However, this exception expires on 31 December 2020.
From the beginning of 2021, only the following will be exempted from night-time traffic restrictions:
– transports carrying predominantly perishable food with a shelf life of only a few days, or periodic printed materials (newspapers and magazines),
– transport necessary for the provision of emergency medical care,
– transport of live animals,
– transport related to the construction and reconstruction of road infrastructure on the A12 and A13 motorways, the development of railway infrastructure on the Munich-Verona route or the construction of the Brennerbasistunnel railway tunnel,
– towing vehicles and roadside assistance,
– transport subject to loading or transhipment to rail transport to or from the railway terminals in Hall and Wörgl, provided that such suitable transport documentation is available.
Bans on polluters
As a reminder, on the same section of the Tirol motorway (A12 between Langkampfen and Zirl in both directions) there are traffic bans on heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 t in the lowest emission classes. This concerns trucks that meet Euro 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 standards, and from 1 January 2021 also Euro Class 5.
Journeys as part of combined transport for the purpose of rail loading (provided that suitable documentation is available) are nonetheless exempt in the following cases:
– to the Hall railway terminal (access possible only in the eastern direction, departure in the western direction),
– to the Wörgl railway terminal (access possible only in the western direction, departure in the eastern direction).
Photo credit @ Wikimedia Commons