EURONIBS
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* The Dutch road transport association TLN is attacking the German government for planning to triple motorway tolls for trucks over 12 tonnes to 3000 a year. Germany wants to regulate transit traffic and threatens to ban weekend driving if the EU blocks the rises. The TLN says the plan is unconsidered and warns that driving bans would cause congestion.
* Trucks which comply with Euro-1 and 2 emissions regulations will be exempt from separate driving bans approved by the German government as a temporary measure to alleviate pollution. The plan still has to win parliamentary approval but is unlikely to be imposed because it requires high pollution levels to be measured at three sites 50km apart and a forecast of rising pollution the next day before it becomes operative.
* Ailing french motorway operators have been allowed to put up motorway tolls by almost 3%, well above the rate of inflation, to save them from financial pressure.
It The Czech Republic has agreed simplified border controls with Germany in a bid to reduce huge tailbacks at the borders, The agreement will apply to road and rail crossings as well as the extensive water links between the two countries.
* Sophisticated electronic traffic controls enabled the Swedish city of Uppsala to reduce driving costs by 2300,000 and cut traffic related pollution by 18 tonnes per year. The city's 180,000 inhabitants now burn 64,000 litres less fuel a year and suffer less congestion. The system paid for itself in 18 months.