Cologne lifts traffic ban on important truck link
In Germany, the city of Cologne has reopened the Rheinuferstrasse for incoming and outgoing traffic to and from the Niehl port for trucks that fulfil the Euro VI norm.
As part of efforts to reduce air pollution, this important link from the Niehl port to the chemical plants in the southern part of the city and the Sauerland had been closed to trucks above 7.5 t last summer.
The Verband Verkehrswirtschaft und Logistik NRW (association for transport and logistics, VVWL) criticised this ban, because it forced trucks to make detours that raised costs. This increased the risk that container traffic from the sea ports to Cologne would be shifted from the waterway to the roads, the VVWL said. The association therefore welcomes the lifting of the driving ban. (ben)