Austria backs off on noise
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• A breakthrough appears to have been made this week in Brussels to persuade Austria to ease the restrictions imposed on the noise levels of lorries passing through the country and the clampdown on night journeys.
A special meeting was held in Brussels involving European commissioner Karel van Miert, and the Italian, German and Austrian transport ministers plus representatives from the countries and regions which have been particularly hit by the restrictions.
As Commercial Motor went to press, experts were working on a formula which would allow a number of journeys through Austria each day.
From this weekend Austria will allow 1,500 lorries a day and then in two weeks this will be increased to either 2,000 or 2,500 rising to 3,000 each day at the turn of the year. In the first phase Austria wants priority to be given to perishable goods and quieter vehicles.