Further increase in HGV capacity on the Gotthard
Bern, 18.01.2002 - There has been a further increase in the capacity for HGV traffic channelled through the Gotthard route. With effect from Monday, lorries travelling between Amsteg and Quinto will be able to use the road tunnel in four-hour sessions over the day, while there will be shorter "green" periods for domestic traffic during the morning. These measures should bring daily capacity up to 3 500 vehicles from the current level of 3 100 (excluding coaches). Even with heavier traffic, there should be no increase in the present waiting times. Moreover, within a few weeks, the first off-motorway waiting area should also become available at Alpnach.
With effect from next Monday, further measures will be introduced to improve the system for regulating movements of HGV traffic through the Gotthard road tunnel. More specifically, the Federal Roads Authority (FEDRO) and the affected cantons of Uri and the Ticino have agreed to switch over from two-hour to four-hour sessions in order to achieve the target capacity of 3 500 lorries per day on the Gotthard. As well as two shorter 'green' periods in the morning for domestic traffic and a shorter 'green' period in the evening (20:00) to clear the waiting areas and control stations, the route will now be open in four-hour sessions from 08:00. On the other hand, no change is planned for the time being in the timetable for the A13 at San-Bernardino.
To permit the implementation of this plan, the advance waiting area in the canton of Nidwald will also be brought into operation. This may probably be supplemented - or perhaps even replaced - within a few weeks by a waiting area off the motorway. Thanks to an agreement with the Department for Defence, Civil Protection and Sport and the canton of Obwalden, the DETEC will be able to include the military airbase at Alpnach in its plans. The works needed to provide direct access from the A8 are to be started as soon as possible. The airfield at Alpnach opens up the possibility of separating and passing on HGV traffic heading for the cantons of Nidwalden and Uri.
Solution with the canton of Ticino
Following talks last week with the government of the canton of Ticino, a solution was found which will improve the implementation of the traffic regulation system on the approach to the south entrance to the Gotthard tunnel. Thus, with the extension of the control station in Quinto, it will be possible to dispense with a second advance waiting area there.
Overall, these initial measures should help to ensure, firstly, that waiting times on the stretch between Lucerne and the Ticino do not exceed six hours - even with the heavier traffic expected in the coming months - and, secondly, that the intended maximum capacity of 3 500 vehicles per day on the Gotthard is achieved. By this week, the cantons of Uri and Ticino had already raised their daily capacity from 2 600 HGVs to around 3 100. At the same time, there was an increase of 500 lorries per day on the San-Bernardino route, as compared with the same period last year.
Border blockade threatened
Meanwhile, the federation and the cantons have been making preparations to meet the blockade threatened by Italian hauliers and drivers. If a blockade does take place next Wednesday, southbound HGV traffic will be temporarily diverted to other holding areas off the motorway. In view of this possibility, the DETEC advises against travel to the south.
DETEC Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication
For further information, please contact:
Michael Gehrken, Federal Roads Authority, 031 324 14 91.
Publisher
Federal Roads Authority
http://www.astra.admin.ch
