Tyrolean Parliament

LH Mattle: “Slot system is not a castle in the air!”

Provincial Governor Anton Mattle and Transport Minister Rene Zumtobel commented on the transit issue in the provincial parliament.(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

"What is the upper limit for truck journeys in Tyrol if the slot system is introduced?" was one of the questions asked by the opposition in the provincial parliament on Wednesday. The slot system for transit trucks was once again presented as a solution, even if much is uncertain. 

Will the neighboring states accept it? Will Tyrol have to soften the ban on night-time driving? What will happen to the booked time slots for trucks in the event of an accident or traffic jam? And above all: how high is the upper limit?" These and many more questions were put to Provincial Governor Anton Mattle in parliament on Wednesday.

Goal: equalize peak times
Mattle did not specify an upper limit. At the very least, he reiterated his intention to maintain the ban on night-time driving. The aim is to equalize the traffic peaks that occur in the morning, for example. The traffic volume must be distributed throughout the day within the approved time window. The system was also initially viewed skeptically in Hamburg.

Harmonization of rail traffic
Mattle apparently expects the system to be introduced shortly after the completion of the Brenner Base Tunnel, which would result in a shift in traffic and reduce congestion. The system planned at Brenner is comparable to the one in Hamburg, "the same questions were asked there too". The handling for the freight forwarders is very simple. "Experience has shown: The system is not a castle in the air, it works." However, harmonization of international rail transport is essential.