Russia proposes lorry parking facility on own side of border

Russia has put forward its first draft for a parking area in Torfyanovka, on its side of the border near the Vaalimaa border crossing.
      Finland hopes that the area, with a capacity for 450 articulated lorries, would serve goods vehicles that are often seriously backed up along the highway on the Finnish side of the border, waiting to get into Russia.
     
The matter arose in road transport talks between Finland and Russia, but Finland did not got no absolute guarantees about the intentions of the Russians.
      Russia has promised to reduce the red tape at the border to speed up the procedure. Legislation has been passed, but statutes still must be handed down.
      Finland believes that only entry and customs formalities would be dealt with at the border, after which goods vehicles would be sent to the parking area for other official business.
      The negotiators decided to set up a working group to coordinate the truck parking area projects on both sides of the border.
      The aim is to have the same kinds of systems in force on both sides of the border.
      The aim is to have a separate lane for heavy goods traffic at the Vaalimaa/Torfyanovka border crossing.
      A waiting area for up to 1,000 articulated lorries is planned for the Finnish side of the border with a cost estimate of EUR 24 million.
     Other border crossings are to be developed in such a way as to make them real options for lorries.
      Russia has already increased staff on its side of the border. The aim is to be able to process more than 1,000 trucks a day, up from the previous 650-700.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Parking area for eastbound trucks to cost over EUR 24 million (27.3.2007)
  Minister Huovinen: Lines of trucks caused by inefficiency of Russian Customs (10.11.2006)
  Halonen and Putin discuss border lorry queues at Moscow meeting (1.10.2007)
  Expansion of green line to ease backlogs at Russian border (2.10.2007)
  Customs consider closing border to curb lorry queue (27.9.2007)