Bulgaria restricts lorry traffic as end of long weekend clogs roads
Bulgaria has announced a ban on lorries using the country’s motorways between 2pm and 8pm on September 6, as a four-day long weekend ends and as the effective close of the summer season is expected to see heavy traffic towards Sofia and other major cities.
The ban applies to lorries over 12 tons, barring them from using motorways and the busiest roads.
Queues of cars were expected to form along the Hemus Motorway, where parts of the Eleshnitsa viaduct and the Vitinya and Echemishka tunnels are being repaired. An extra lane for traffic on the Eleshnitsa viaduct is being opened for traffic heading towards Sofia.
Bulgaria’s Road Infrastructure Agency said that heavy traffic was expected at the entrances to Sofia from the Trakiya, Hemus and Struma motorways and along the E79 from Kulata, at the Greek border, to Sofia.
The agency urged motorists to drive carefully and at reasonable speeds and obey restrictions, road signs and the instructions of traffic police.
The Interior Ministry estimated that about 200 000 cars would be entering Sofia on the afternoon and evening of September 6.
Reports on the morning of September 6 noted that contrary to expectations, there was heavy traffic from Bulgaria into Greece, while the morning saw relatively little traffic coming into Bulgaria – a situation that was expected to change in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, Bulgarian National Television reported on September 6 that those hoping to get last-minute bus tickets from the Black Sea city of Bourgas to Sofia were in for a disappointment, because the last tickets sold out on September 5.
There were still train tickets from Bourgas to Sofia available, the report said.
(Photo: Leah Sawyer)
