No HGV traffic through Lüdenscheid: the police will monitor compliance

On June 10, the town of Lüdenscheid banned all vehicles with a GVW of more than 3.5 tonnes from passing through the town. Since June 12 the district police has been monitoring compliance with the ban, which they are planning to continue for several weeks.

The ban was introduced to mitigate the effects of the closure of the BAB 45 motorway on December 2, 2021. The situation has not only affected residents living near the diversion or alternative routes but also commuters as well as local businesses.
The ban applies to all vehicles with a GVW of over 3.5 tonnes. After obtaining a special permit, the town can only be accessed by vehicles performing regional transport operations (the first and the next loading point are no more than 75 km apart) as well as those that set out from or deliver goods to Lüdenscheid.

For the first few weeks since the introduction of the ban, the local police will intensively check if drivers comply with the ban. It is estimated that around 5,500 vehicle subject to the HGV road levy (with a GVW of over 7,5 tonnes) will pass through checkpoints every working day. In addition, there is a still unknown number of vehicles that are not subject to the HGV road levy. Cars with trailers that are used for commercial purposes and weigh more than 3.5 tons can also be affected by the ban.

Drivers who fail to observe the ban face a fine of 100 euros plus an administrative fee (no penalty points). However, being turned back and having to take a long detour is likely to be a much more severe punishment.

The police checks take place primarily at the following locations:
- Lüdenscheid North, in the area of the L 692
- Brunscheider Straße in the area of the Lüdenscheid junction center
- Lüdenscheid-Süd junction
- Lüdenscheid Bruges (B 54, B 229)