Can i drive from calais to belgium via the e40/a16 on a sunday daytime , general load so not perishible
Yes normally it´s no problem…thats the only way in all france where you allowed to drive on on public holidays and sundays.
THE spread of weekend lorry bans across the EU has prompted pledges of European Commission action, as the number of stranded truckers increases and companies begin to denounce ‘unfair’ competition.
Commission officials are now considering whether to introduce a code of conduct for the proliferating weekend freight bans, amid accusations that Europe’s transport market is splitting apart and allegationsby a number of companies that some of the measures might breach EU competition rules.
Such involvement marks a sharp change in position bythe Commission’s Directorate-General for Transport (DGVII), which has previously been reluctant to get embroiled in an area it regarded as clearly the sole responsibility of national governments.
But protests have increased as the French ban on Sunday traffic has been tightened to include (mostly empty) vehicles returning to base and as the Spanish have taken steps to introduce a similar brake on lorry movements.
Complaints are growing from those affected by the bans.
Dutch airline KLM has, for example, called for Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock to examine allegations that Air France is being given a special exemption from France’s ban while rival carriers are not. Most European airlines use roads for short-haul freight deliveries.
KLM has also been hit by Spain’s lorry ban. It was forced to launch a new air freight service to its Saragossa sub-hub at the start of this month because it cannot move freight across Spain or France during weekends. “As you can imagine, the flights are a lot more costly than trucks,” said a KLM spokesman.
“We are living in a nightmare situation,” said Mike Freeman, spokesman for the UK’s Road Haulage Association. “Very soon there will be a ban across the whole of Europe.”The UK is badly affected because most of its continental traffic passes through France. “The French ban has disrupted our rotas, it is costing us money and has made just-in-time deliveries impossible,” said Freeman.
“Luxembourg is preparing a ban because it is tired of being used as a parking lot for drivers queuing up to get through France. The Belgians are also looking at something for the same reasons.”Germany has its own Sunday freight ban, with central and eastern European countries adding another cocktail of restrictions.
“There has been a series of weird things coming in from the East, with some of them banning lorries from Friday evening to Sunday night but only in the summer months. That is the case in Hungary, with the result that lines of lorries queue up in Romania,” said Freeman.
On-the-road interpretations of the French rules vary, with officials sometimes bizarrely reclassifying goods as perishable or not — a key factor in determining whether they are covered by the ban.
“There are some drivers who are ‘done’ for transporting cauliflowers because they are not classified as fresh vegetables.
But courgettes are being let through,” explained Freeman.
Spain’s recent ban has also taken a strange twist, with the Basque region having a separate set of rules and foreign drivers complaining that no one has explained how far the zone spreads.
“Most of these rules are in Spanish and most of our men are simple blokes,” said Freeman.
A code of conduct setting out some uniform rules for lorry bans would make life simpler. But UK haulage firms are also pressing the Commission to draw up a list of priority routes which do not go through towns and can be kept open throughout the weekend.
The French lorry ban was one of the consequences of last November’s violent haulage strikes which paralysed the country. Short-haul drivers in particular called for a brake on all Sunday traffic so that they could be guaranteed a rest without fearing that goods would be moved instead by rival foreign firms.
The ban has been all the less acceptable to British truckers because they are still waiting for compensation from Paris for the disruption and damage caused by the French strikes.
The Road Haulage Association says many claims have become bogged down in provincial prefectures, with disputes raging over whether they can be lodged in languages other than French.
adam1987:
Can i drive from calais to belgium via the e40/a16 on a sunday daytime , general load so not perishible
Yes.
Thanks for the heads up
limeyphil:
THE spread of weekend lorry bans across the EU has prompted pledges of European Commission action, as the number of stranded truckers increases and companies begin to denounce ‘unfair’ competition.Commission officials are now considering whether to introduce a code of conduct for the proliferating weekend freight bans, amid accusations that Europe’s transport market is splitting apart and allegationsby a number of companies that some of the measures might breach EU competition rules.
Such involvement marks a sharp change in position bythe Commission’s Directorate-General for Transport (DGVII), which has previously been reluctant to get embroiled in an area it regarded as clearly the sole responsibility of national governments.
But protests have increased as the French ban on Sunday traffic has been tightened to include (mostly empty) vehicles returning to base and as the Spanish have taken steps to introduce a similar brake on lorry movements.
Complaints are growing from those affected by the bans.
Dutch airline KLM has, for example, called for Transport Commissioner Neil Kinnock to examine allegations that Air France is being given a special exemption from France’s ban while rival carriers are not. Most European airlines use roads for short-haul freight deliveries.
KLM has also been hit by Spain’s lorry ban. It was forced to launch a new air freight service to its Saragossa sub-hub at the start of this month because it cannot move freight across Spain or France during weekends. “As you can imagine, the flights are a lot more costly than trucks,” said a KLM spokesman.
“We are living in a nightmare situation,” said Mike Freeman, spokesman for the UK’s Road Haulage Association. “Very soon there will be a ban across the whole of Europe.”The UK is badly affected because most of its continental traffic passes through France. “The French ban has disrupted our rotas, it is costing us money and has made just-in-time deliveries impossible,” said Freeman.
“Luxembourg is preparing a ban because it is tired of being used as a parking lot for drivers queuing up to get through France. The Belgians are also looking at something for the same reasons.”Germany has its own Sunday freight ban, with central and eastern European countries adding another cocktail of restrictions.
“There has been a series of weird things coming in from the East, with some of them banning lorries from Friday evening to Sunday night but only in the summer months. That is the case in Hungary, with the result that lines of lorries queue up in Romania,” said Freeman.
On-the-road interpretations of the French rules vary, with officials sometimes bizarrely reclassifying goods as perishable or not — a key factor in determining whether they are covered by the ban.
“There are some drivers who are ‘done’ for transporting cauliflowers because they are not classified as fresh vegetables.
But courgettes are being let through,” explained Freeman.
Spain’s recent ban has also taken a strange twist, with the Basque region having a separate set of rules and foreign drivers complaining that no one has explained how far the zone spreads.
“Most of these rules are in Spanish and most of our men are simple blokes,” said Freeman.
A code of conduct setting out some uniform rules for lorry bans would make life simpler. But UK haulage firms are also pressing the Commission to draw up a list of priority routes which do not go through towns and can be kept open throughout the weekend.
The French lorry ban was one of the consequences of last November’s violent haulage strikes which paralysed the country. Short-haul drivers in particular called for a brake on all Sunday traffic so that they could be guaranteed a rest without fearing that goods would be moved instead by rival foreign firms.
The ban has been all the less acceptable to British truckers because they are still waiting for compensation from Paris for the disruption and damage caused by the French strikes.
The Road Haulage Association says many claims have become bogged down in provincial prefectures, with disputes raging over whether they can be lodged in languages other than French.
Is that a yes or no
Calais to Belgium is known as the Corridor.Any size or type of truck can use it all year and public holidays.And any cargo or empty.
Yes. 
limeyphil:
Yes.
Cheers
Delivering to antwerp sunday then reloading rotterdam monday any good parking inbetween
If there is time in Rotterdam you can get a boat ride/cruise of the deep sea port.Get close to large passenger or container ships.
There is an historical walk.
The train runs all day and night to Amsterdam.
You may find that the Netherlands resembles the USA.
They speak like Americans.
The bike is king out there.They have their own cycle lanes that are away from traffic.
If you see a lot of trucks parked up,join them.The food must be good there.
On the road you pay to use the loo.You get a voucher to spend in the cafe.The loos are very clean and have an attendant to clean it.Ask for a drivers discount at motorway stops for meals.
Autogrille is decent food.And Pizza Hut is available on the road.
limeyphil:
“…and most of our men are simple blokes,” said Freeman…
So there you have it, straight from the spokesman for the UK’s Road Haulage Association, AKA “The Horses Mouth”, Mike Freeman, most Brit drivers are but simple folk!!! Should one feel patronised or insulted??
Even funnier would have been seeing the look on Kinochs face when that little lot dropped into his “In Tray”!!
I only got one adress from another driver, it´s between Antwerpen and Rotterdam a little bit closer to Rotterdam:
http://www.truckstopa16.nl/ Café/Restaurant Truckstop A16, van 't hoffstraat 10, NL - 3316 GX Dordrecht
and a few other parking places :
- Truckparking De Punt, Botlekweg 176, 3197 KA Rotterdam , 2) Truckparking Distri Botlek, Tweedweg 1, 3197 LM Rotterdam,
- Truckparking Waalhaven, Beatrix De Rijkstraat, 3088 HL Rotterdam (security Parking)
Truckparking Rotterdam - Home
And here is another little nice place in the north of Rotterdam :
The Pittstop Vlaardingen, Koningin Wilhelminahaven Noordzijde 2, 3134 KE Vlaardingen,on the first floor ,best way to get there is from Vulcaanweg Redirecting... close to the haven and close to the area of Norfolkline/DFDS and not far away from the city by feet.There is not so much space for parking but it´s quiet and free parking,free showers in the pittstop.
Or Google TIS truckstops Holland and work through to what you need on the map.There are many between Antwerp and Rotterdam.
Again thank you, first time on the wrong side of the road for me
If i do get the time toby i certainly will be having a look around
I just need a rack for my bike to mount it on the back off the cab, ive had dumbells for ages
Those little cafes in the parking areas knock spots off our multi million pound MSA’s.
It’s Mayonaise with everything.
Before you all get excited, here is a link to limeyphil’s quoted article, dated 24/4/1997.
http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/imported/weekend-lorry-bans-prompt-calls-for-action/33439.aspx
Come off the motorway and use the national roads and find yourself a club,much more fun exercise than riding your bike! 
Although the one I went to Sunday was ■■■■■■ shut!!!
Taff is right.I saw a “club” by a field in the middle of nowhere.If not in to horizontal dancing,the ladies are nice to have a chat with.
Don’t forget to get your ■■■■ in adinkerke, from calais j1 a18, top of slip road turn left, 3rd exit at roundabout and its the first place on your left can’t miss it, loads of room for truck…
Limey is right.It is pomme frites avec mayo.They love chips over there.The people are smartly dressed and men have hand bags or shoulder bags with a strap.Seems too feminine for a man to do that.