Tyrol: Truck blocks cause mega traffic congestion

For years, Bavaria and Tyrol have been arguing about the restrictions on lorry traffic on the Inntal motorway and the corresponding repercussions they have on the rest of the road network in Austria and neighbouring countries. As part of the so-called block clearance, the Austrian authorities have set up a metering point for HGVs on the Inntal motorway A12 heading south at the Kufstein-Nord exit. A maximum of between 250 and 300 lorries per hour are allowed to pass this point on certain days. But more often this number is reduced even further, so that only 100 lorries per hour can pass through at walking pace. 

Austria wants to manage the high volume of traffic more efficiently, with the aim of at least partially relieving the road network - and thus not only increasing road safety on busy routes, but also reducing the air pollution and noise pollution caused by heavy goods traffic. For neighbouring countries like Germany and Italy, however, the 24 days of dosage of truck traffic that Tyrol has announced for the first half of 2023 alone mean exactly the opposite. By only allowing several vehicles to pass in one direction, while the oncoming traffic has to wait, the Tyrolean measure causes massive traffic jams on the German and Italian traffic arteries. During the last block clearance on Monday 3 July, lorries were even backed up for up to 27 kilometres on the A93 between Inntaldreieck and Kiefersfelden.  

Often, the Bavarian authorities - according to the Free State's traffic offices - are left with little choice but to respond with traffic restrictions as well. In July 2022, for example, Bavaria closed side roads of the motorways to lorries in order to prevent creeping traffic to the border, and for years the state government has threatened to file a complaint with the European Union because of the Tyrolean measures. At the same time, Germany is working together with South Tyrol and Italy in general to introduce a new system for freight traffic between the two countries and Austria. This is to establish slots for freight forwarders, which transport companies can then book, similar to air traffic. According to current information, these will apply between Munich and Verona in future, thus covering the entire Brenner motorway (A22) between Verona and Innsbruck - as well as the Inntal motorway and sections of the E45, E60 and A8 between Innsbruck and Munich. 

However, a lot of time may pass before this becomes possible. Vehicle owners should therefore pay attention to the next few days in the dosage calendar. Four more block clearance days are planned in July, namely on 10, 17, 24 and 31 July. Also not to be forgotten are all the low emission zones already active in Austria - as well as in the rest of Europe. As always, all information is available on our website and in the Green Zones app.