From this Tuesday, a ban on heavy goods vehicles came into force on the Inner Beltway (VCI), which connects Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia over more than 20 kilometres. The prohibition is in effect between 7am and 9pm on weekdays, and aims to remove more than four thousand heavy vehicles, representing a 60% reduction in traffic. The alternative is via the Porto Outer Regional Ring Road (CREP/A41), where these vehicles have been exempt from tolls since February. There are exceptions for trucks with origin or destination in Porto or Vila Nova de Gaia, which require prior authorisation through a digital platform provided by the municipalities.
Transport and logistics associations strongly criticise the measure. André Almeida, spokesperson for the National Association of Public Road Freight Carriers (Antram), expressed "enormous concern" and warned that the mandatory detour via CREP can represent more than 60 kilometres per operation, with increased fuel costs. More than 180 transport companies from the Northern region expressed their dissatisfaction at a meeting last week. The digital registration platform only became operational on Monday afternoon, the eve of the ban's entry into force, which generated criticism about a possible "bureaucratic chaos".
The president of the Portuguese Logistics Association (APLOG), Afonso Almeida, considered the measure "penalising for most companies" and warned of the impact on supply to the Northern region, from industry to retail. One truck driver calculated that the route between the Port of Leixões and Espinho, which is 27 kilometres in 35 minutes via the VCI, becomes 61.7 kilometres via the CREP, taking 50 to 60 minutes. The sector anticipates that the additional costs will be reflected in consumer prices and that smaller companies may face economic difficulties.
On the other side, mayors from Porto and Gaia, who had been demanding this restriction for years, welcome the measure. Pedro Duarte, newly arrived at Porto City Hall, was one of the driving forces behind the ban and asked the Minister of Home Affairs for stricter enforcement. The municipality is preparing other substantive measures, including protocols with Infraestruturas de Portugal to find alternatives to the VCI and the arrival of the Ruby Line of Porto Metro. Pedro Duarte acknowledged that the ban alone does not solve the traffic problem on the road, which requires more structural responses.
