On the Monday transport summit in Bolzano, the authorities of Tyrol decided on implementing the so-called “corridor toll” on the highway in Brenner. This means increased tolls imposed on trucks.
As reported by the Austrian media, during a meeting in Bolzano, the heads of the government of Tyrol, South Tyrol and Trentino (Günther Platter, Arno Kompatscher and Ugo Rossi) decided to introduce “a corridor toll” for the passage through the Brenner pass. This means that the rates on the Brenner highway will be adjusted to the tolls on other Alpine transit routes.
Here, over one third of the road transport is carried out by the trucks that drive additional kilometers due to more favourable tolls – stressed Günther Platter, the PM of Tyrol. – Implementing the so-called corridor toll, i.e. adjusting the tolls to the Tyrolean payments, would put an end on these practices – Platter added.
As reported by APA, the Austrian news agency, the increases in tolls are to be agreed in early March in consultation with Italy, before the elections of the Italian Parliament.
In addition, the summit raised the subject of the trucks limit established on the basis of traffic monitoring and the issue of transferring some road transport to rail.
Causes of the Austrians’ actions
In 2017 about 2.25 million trucks passed through the Brenner Pass. This way the limit of tolerance has been exceeded, as Günther Platter emphasized. In recent years, a number of measures have already been implemented: the ban on driving at night and at weekends, the sectoral ban on driving and block checks.
Free movement of goods cannot be above the right to health, safety and environment protection – Günther Platter added.
The solutions applied in Tyrol, such as block checks, are causing huge traffic jams. The reason is that the police or customs officers control the number of trucks crossing the border – when it comes to the upper limit (for instance 250 or 300 as in the case Kufstein), the other trucks in the queue must wait an hour. After this time the procedure is repeated.
Italian carriers are criticising the Austrian strategy
Conftrasporto, the Italian transport association, is criticising the plan of the Austrians and warned of its negative economic consequences.
No one is criticising the necessity of taking actions related to the environment protection. However, they must be reasonable and must take into account their economic aspects – said Paolo Ugge, the head of Conftrasporto.
Ugge asked the Italian Minister of Transport to object to the Tyrolean plans, which are incompatible with the European law – the portal derstandard.at informed.
Photo: Wikimedia/Kleszczu CC BY-SA 2.5
