Authorities assure that the system on Vršič is working. The chaos is due to non-compliance with traffic regulations.
In the upcoming summer season, the state will, according to Pavlič’s assurances, provide free public bus transport.
The chaos that occurred on the Vršič road on nice days, when people massively visited Slemenova špica, where the larches were turning yellow, was caused by many visitors disregarding road traffic rules, according to the Directorate for Infrastructure.
After the 14-day trial period of the barriers ended at the end of October – barriers intended to regulate traffic over the Vršič pass from now on – representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure and both municipalities met on Wednesday, reviewed the identified challenges, and agreed to resolve them before the barrier system starts operating in the next summer season.
As stated, the system as conceived works – the chaos on the Vršič road on nice days, when people massively visited Slemenova špica, where the larches were turning yellow, was caused by many visitors disregarding road traffic rules, the Directorate for Infrastructure assesses.
That the trial period was meant to uncover errors and deficiencies in the system was already stated before the start by Jernej Pavlič from the Ministry of Infrastructure: “Testing is of course intended to eliminate discovered errors so that there are no such errors in the next season. Whenever you introduce something new, you naturally expect some surprise.”
Strengthening the work of police and stewards will be necessary.
During testing, the municipalities of Kranjska Gora and Bovec identified all emerging challenges, and as noted at the ministry – and emphasised by Kranjska Gora mayor Henrika Zupan – the scenes of chaos on the Vršič road are not a consequence of the barrier system and the new traffic regime: “I must emphasise that the system has proven effective, but it has shown that visitors do not follow regulations. Our informants at the barrier and stewards at the top of Vršič warned people that the parking lot was full, yet many still parked along and even on the road, truly causing chaos.”
On the most burdened days during nice weekends, social networks were flooded with outraged posts about a real traffic collapse on Vršič, which, the Ministry of Infrastructure adds, no regime can of course prevent. “Therefore, in the summer season when the system starts operating, it will clearly be necessary to strengthen police operations, the only authority empowered to fine drivers parking incorrectly on state roads and to tow incorrectly parked vehicles on state roads,” emphasises Henrika Zupan, adding that it is already clear both municipalities will need to provide stewards in summer to maintain order at the top of the pass.
“But without people also following regulations, it won’t work. We truly want to be hospitable, but without people following rules in the space they enter, we simply won’t be able to maintain order ourselves,” Zupan further states.
At the top of Vršič, only 92 parking spaces will be available.
The chaos on the Vršič road arose because at the top, where up to 300 vehicles could previously park, now only about 40 spaces are available as work is ongoing. And generally, the ministry says, fewer than a hundred will be available in summer: “We are changing the traffic regime due to unsustainable traffic conditions witnessed in previous years on the Vršič pass, as well as parking limitations faced during the traffic reconstruction of the Vršič summit. Based on the decision of opinion providers, this provides for only 92 parking spaces. We are aware that at peak summer tourist season, 300 to 500 vehicles want to park at the pass, which is not possible due to lack of available space.”
In the last two years, these pressures were managed fairly successfully with stewards, but as it appears, without them and with additional police help now, it won’t be possible, as disorder will clearly no longer be only at the top of Vršič but along the entire road. The Ministry of Infrastructure acknowledges that the traffic regime and barrier system alone will of course not suffice, as shown during the trial period: “In coming years, we want to resolve the situation with new traffic arrangements and information on available parking spaces at the top, while offering free bus transport from Bovec and Kranjska Gora as an alternative, running hourly from morning to evening in the main tourist season months. This will ease vehicle pressure on the Vršič summit.”
Vršič a considerably greater challenge than the Vrata valley was.
That without good communication with visitors, a good information system, and adequate valley parking, chaos cannot be prevented, believes Aleš Zdešar, head of the spatial department at the Triglav National Park Public Institute, who warned before the trial period that Vršič would be a much greater challenge than the Vrata valley, where the new traffic regime successfully launched this year. “This is a transit road, a far greater traffic challenge than a closed valley. We therefore expect it will take several years to establish a functioning and sustainable regime. We will already learn something from this fourteen-day trial, upgrade, change or supplement the system. Above all, it is crucial that all visitors are correctly and timely informed about the traffic regime, public transport options, and behaviour rules in the national park’s protected area, which includes Vršič.”
The new traffic regime provides that “we already limit traffic in the valley and redirect visitors to buses,” Jernej Pavlič from the infrastructure ministry said before the trial began.
Public transport – or free bus services – will be key.
That public transport will clearly be key to establishing a sustainable traffic regime over our only high-mountain pass has now also been shown by the trial period. “Of course, all parking and information must also be provided in the valley, from the end of the motorway – already at Jesenice. The desire is for vehicles headed to Vršič to remain in the valley, a long-term vision, but we have now started and I believe we will achieve it.”
The solution for traffic chaos in the upcoming summer season is therefore sustainable mobility – regular, reliable, and free buses. The state will provide this in summer, Pavlič promised.
Source:
https://www.rtvslo.si/lokalne-novice/gorenjska/pristojni-zagotavljajo-da-sistem-na-vrsicu-deluje-za-kaos-krivo-nespostovanje-prometnih-predpisov/763145