Chaos possible from demo block alpine pass

A demonstration to protest against the increasing volume of traffic using the Brenner Pass, a major alpine transport route between Austria and Italy, will likely cause huge disruptions to traffic across the region on Saturday.

Protesters plan to rally near Mettrei on the Austrian side of the Brenner Highway at noon (1000 UTC), leading to the closure of the entire Brenner corridor, including access roads, for at least eight hours.

Any disruption is likely to spread to southern Germany, with the Bavarian Red Cross preparing for traffic jams between the city of Rosenheim and the Austrian border.

It said motorbikes can be used to deliver water to anyone stuck in such a traffic jam.

Police in southern Bavaria are deploying in large numbers to manage any crowds, among other things and to ensure that emergency vehicles maintain access to any accident sites.

He advised motorists to avoid the Tirol region.

The demonstration has been called by Karl Mühlsteiger, mayor of Austria’s Gries district.

He said the 15,000 residents of the Brenner area no longer want to accept the increased amount of traffic, and they are suffering adverse health effects from particulate smoke and noise.

Mühlsteiger also called for existing restrictions for trucks to be maintained in full force at night and on weekends and public holidays, and for the construction of modern noise barriers.

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A demonstration that would block the Brenner Pass between Austria and Italy is predicted to cause long delays in traffic between northern and southern Europe, with disruptions reaching as far as Germany.

Residents of the Brenner region have long been angry about the threats to their health and well-being posed by the increasing flood of traffic through the pass, of which holidaymakers from Germany make up a large share.

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