Long lorry queues at Vaalimaa border crossing again

print this

Trucks waiting to cross into Russia were backed up in long queues on the Finnish side of the Vaalimaa crossing on Saturday.
      According to customs officials and border station employees, the traffic jam extended for 20 kilometres on Saturday morning.
      Conditions eased somewhat during the day, and at 8:00 PM the line stretched "just" 12 kilometres.
      The situation had begun to deteriorate already on Friday evening.
      Car traffic at the border is quite normal, however.
     
Officials on the Finnish side attribute the backlog of trucks to the inability of Russian customs authorities to handle heavy traffic at the pace that vehicles arrive at the border.
      Likely reasons include the limited inspection facilities of Russian customs officials, and recent snowfall, which has caused problems for heavy transport.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Russia-bound cargo on Finnish roads is growing dramatically (8.2.2006)

Helsingin Sanomat