Brenner Pass controversy

Night-time driving ban for trucks causes debate again

Trucks are banned from driving on Tyrol's highways at night. South Tyrol wants to change this, and the Transit Forum emphasizes its importance for local residents.(Bild: CHRISTOF BIRBAUMER)

South Tyrol's Chamber of Commerce President Michl Ebner wants to allow trucks to drive over the Brenner Pass at night. The Tyrolean Transit Forum with Fritz Gurgiser is protesting strongly against this.

In the past, the "Krone" has repeatedly reported on voices from South Tyrol who want to lift the ban on night-time driving on the Brenner highway. Recently, the President of the South Tyrolean Chamber of Commerce, Michl Ebner, also took up this demand again. He addressed the warnings that the Brenner highway is threatening to reach its capacity limits with the imminent closure of the Lueg bridge. This is far from being reached, as truck traffic on the highway is only possible around 55 percent of the time due to the weekend and night driving ban. A reconsideration of the driving ban is therefore necessary, explained Ebner.

Lifting the driving ban would be counterproductive
Fritz Gurgiser from the Transit Forum vehemently disagrees. On the one hand, the ban on night-time driving is needed to protect local residents from noise, especially on slopes. Furthermore, Gurgiser assumes that traffic would not shift from day to night: on the contrary, additional vehicles would be attracted to the Brenner and the congestion would spread to day and night. In addition, the lifting of the night-time driving ban would mean that fewer hauliers would use the railroads again, which would result in even more trucks using the freeways, according to Gurgiser.

His conclusion: lifting the driving ban would benefit neither North nor South Tyrol, but only the hauliers who are not based here. Gurgiser therefore calls on South Tyrol to "join forces" with North Tyrol and also introduce a ban on night-time truck driving.