Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Peev said that he expects the Road Infrastructure Agency (RIA) to present the Ministry and road haulage operators with a revised order introducing restrictions on the movement of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) later today. He made the statement during a meeting with the management of the RIA and representatives of road freight industry organisations.
“We have established that there are no specific rules governing the introduction of temporary restrictions on HGV traffic. This creates uncertainty in the sector and makes long-term planning impossible. Moreover, Bulgaria does not have enough suitable lorry parks with adequate facilities for drivers. Stopping in the emergency lane is dangerous and unacceptable,” the Minister said. He stressed that requiring drivers to wait in their cabs in high temperatures poses serious risks to their health and their ability to react safely on the road.
“Until now, the introduction of restrictions has failed to strike a balance between the interests of citizens, the state and businesses. Ad hoc, piecemeal decisions are being taken. Each Regional Road Administration issues orders whenever it deems appropriate. This must change. Experts and industry representatives urgently need to develop standardised procedures and criteria that will ensure predictability and the timely provision of information to Bulgarian and foreign hauliers,” Minister Peev said.
He expressed a firm position on the safe operation of heavy goods vehicles:
“It is unacceptable for unroadworthy or overloaded HGVs, or vehicles with worn tyres, to be allowed on the roads. They are potential killers, and the industry must pay serious attention to these shortcomings. HGV drivers who disregard overtaking bans also create dangerous situations and increase the risk of serious accidents.“
Industry representatives expressed their full support for stricter enforcement. According to them, international hauliers rarely operate vehicles that are unroadworthy or have worn tyres, with such problems occurring mainly in domestic road haulage. They also expressed their readiness to assist the state in eliminating companies operating in the grey economy and so-called “letterbox companies”, which jeopardise road safety and distort competition.
