Solberg and Dale hunted wrong trucks to ground

Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Minister of Transport Jon Georg Dale.Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB scanpix

The Norwegian Public Roads Administration brought along reinforcements for vehicle controls in Ørje on Tuesday.Both Prime Minister Erna Solberg, and Minister of Transport and Communications, Jon Georg Dale, participated.

‘’We have been told about many lorries and drivers who are stopped for very different things,everything from a poorly secured cargo to technical deficiencies with the vehicles.There are too many that are in a bad condition’’ said Solberg of Høyre (H) to NTB news.

In the worst case scenarios of tires leaving drivers without the ability to travel on Norwegian winter roads,the consequences can lead to fatal accidents warned the Prime Minister.

Unusually,all trucks were stopped, and the control paid particular attention to winter equipment.The Norwegian Public Roads Administration carried out the checks,but the emergency police and the Customs Service were present.

“The starting point is that anyone who crosses the border should know that they risk being controlled at any time” said Dale,who warned drivers against the strategy of “waiting out” controls across the border.

‘’They can’t do that’’ he said.Dale, of Fremskrittsparti (Frp), stated that 50 of the approximately 300 lorries that were checked on Tuesday night received orders due to shortcomings.

‘’It shows that we have a job to do’’ he noted.

Dale will consider whether there is a need to tighten the regulations further, among other things, by imposing stricter requirements on winter tires and giving higher fines to drivers who do not follow the rules.

‘’But luckily, we saw that the number of accidents has declined in recent years,which hopefully is also linked to incentives. In total,it is safe to travel on Norwegian winter roads.’’

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today