Volgograd officials and police explain truck columns amid travel ban
On the night of February 2–3, during the height of a heavy snowstorm that blanketed Volgograd, residents encountered a huge number of trucks that suddenly appeared on the city streets. Despite a special order by the authorities banning the movement of heavy freight transport throughout the city, multi-ton vehicles were seen even on Komsomolskaya Street. The police and city administration attempted to explain how this could have happened.
Recall that the governor of Volgograd Oblast, due to heavy snowfall on the night of February 2, announced restrictions on traffic «on the backbone road network of Volgograd Oblast, based on the developing operational situation.» A little earlier, traffic had frozen in a giant traffic jam on the Second Longitudinal Highway in Volgograd due to the snowfall, and eyewitnesses captured the consequences in photos.
«The situation is complicated by the presence of stopped heavy trucks on the Second and Third highways — the city administration is being assisted by the State Traffic Inspectorate (GAI) in resolving this issue,» the city administration reported. «In addition, the movement of heavy freight transport on city roads is temporarily banned. This measure will help ensure the work of special equipment and also remove the stopped trucks from the roads more quickly.»
Restrictions were also introduced on federal highways passing through the territory of Volgograd Oblast. Due to snowfall and limited visibility, highways to Saratov, Moscow, Rostov, Astrakhan, and Elista were closed. The ban on movement applied to trucks and buses and was in effect until further notice.
Parallel to the restrictions by the State Traffic Inspectorate, the Volgograd administration reported on road clearing, which was complicated by a massive traffic jam on the Second and Third longitudinal highways. Nevertheless, by decision of the municipality, truck movement was banned on all city roads, in the hope that this would help clear the city of snow more quickly. Meanwhile, truck drivers ignored the ban.
The Volgograd administration stated that the authority to stop trucks lies with the traffic police (GIBDD). They are also the ones who should monitor drivers« compliance with traffic rules. The police, in turn, succinctly reported that the governor»s ban only applied to highways within the boundaries of Volgograd Oblast, not city roads.
However, it is worth recalling that the police previously also assured that compliance with the ban on truck movement in the city should rest solely on the shoulders of their drivers, who are obliged to know and strictly observe traffic rules. This information was contained in a response to a request about measures taken by the police to restrict truck movement in Volgograd during hot summer days:
«When a traffic violation is detected by a road user, State Traffic Inspectorate officers stop the vehicle to suppress the violation and initiate proceedings for an administrative offense,» the response to the editorial request stated. «In accordance with the order of the Department of Urban Economy of the Volgograd Administration, control over its implementation is carried out by the Department of Urban Economy of the Volgograd Administration. Forced prohibition of the movement of freight vehicles due to drivers violating the requirement of road sign 3.4 »No Trucks,« detention of vehicles as a measure to secure proceedings for an administrative offense, and other measures of influence are not provided for by regulations. Responsibility for this offense is provided for by part 6 of Article 12.16 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation and entails an administrative fine on the driver in the amount of 500 rubles (about $6 at current rates).»
