The St Gotthard road tunnel in Switzerland was due to re-open as T&TI went to press. The tunnel, which was scheduled to re-open on December 21st to unrestricted light traffic and alternating heavy freight vehicles, had been closed for nearly two months following the tragic fire on 24th October that killed 11 motorists.
The opening follows round the clock repairs by contractors to repair the collapsed section of the false ceiling in the immediate area of the fire. Closer inspection revealed that damage to the tunnel was not as severe as was feared.
The opening of the tunnel was seen as a priority as concerns grew over safety over burgeoning traffic levels in alternative Alpine tunnels.
At a recent meeting in Zurich, chaired by the Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger, an agreement was reached for the development of a safer, more efficient and environmentally responsible regulation of commercial traffic crossing the Alps.
Leuenberger viewed the signed agreement as a ‘green light for Switzerland to reduce the volume of truck traffic over its Alpine passes and tunnels’. The focus will be on improving safety in Alpine tunnels and that the shifting of the transport of commercial goods from trucks to trains should be viewed as a ‘major priority’.
EU commissioner for transportation Loyola de Palcio warned that a predicted 40% increase in trucks in the EU would collapse transport networks without a goods transfer to rail shipment.
