Driving bans tightened

LH Mattle appeals to tourists traveling through

When the highway is full, people drive through villages: Everyday life in the Wipptal.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Christof Birbaumer / Kronenzeitung)

Following the traffic chaos, Tyrol is tightening up the driving bans on the Brenner route. The first optimizations are to come into force this weekend. LH Anton Mattle is making a clear announcement. 

There are now many extremely busy days on the Brenner highway: "There are 100 million people living north of Tyrol who like to travel south. But Tyrol cannot and does not want to build wider roads. That's why we are the only region that has introduced massive exit bans. Cars that want to go to Lake Garda, for example, are generally prohibited from leaving the highway and simply driving through the villages," said LH Mattle, referring to the measures already in place.

Police officers and inspectors insulted
Tyrol has been fighting against excessive traffic for many years. However, the controls have become anything but easy in the meantime. "Inspectors and law enforcement officers report that they are being insulted by annoyed drivers," reports LH Mattle, who therefore appeals to drivers to stay on main roads and highways.

Stay on the highway and main traffic arteries and don't clog up the traffic routes of the local population. You don't want your home community to be overrun by an avalanche of cars either.

LH Anton Mattle 

Navigation devices also show shortcuts 
"In addition to the volume of traffic, the biggest problem is navigation devices and smartphone apps, which immediately divert you to another route in the event of delays. We therefore urgently need a federal law that obliges sat nav operators to incorporate temporary driving bans into their systems. Potential alternative routes such as the B 182 or the L 38 could then literally disappear from the map for those unfamiliar with the area," explained Transport Minister Rene Zumtobel (SPÖ).

Already in force at the weekend
At a joint meeting with the police and Asfinag, further measures were decided to minimize the risk of traffic gridlock: These include adjustments to the truck metering calendar to accommodate construction work on the Lueg Bridge, an extension of car exit bans with an increase in control personnel, additional traffic posts in roadworks areas and a metering traffic light heading north.