OREANDA-NEWS. Several IRU member associations have reported very short notice periods of just one or two days for the announcement of traffic bans. Often such bans have been announced on the eve of public holidays. This poses considerable operational difficulties for road freight transport operators and can result in the sector incurring significant additional costs.

Traffic bans should in the view of the IRU only be introduced to target proven local environmental or congestion issues and the IRU believes that many traffic bans are unjustified. At the very least the road freight industry should receive, well in advance, clear basic information on possible future traffic bans for heavy goods vehicles so that road freight transport operators can adequately and efficiently plan and carry out their operations across the EU in an optimal manner. This will benefit the European economy and trade as well as the citizens and industries that depend on the tasks performed by the road freight transport industry.