DGT sends out reminder to avoid crossing border in Basque Country from 23 to 26 August due to G-7 Summit being held in Biarritz

The French Government expressed its concern to Spain over the rallies and demonstrations that tend to accompany this type of event and that will foreseeably affect traffic, which may cause delays and tail-backs on the roads. It should be remembered that the French town is located just 20 kilometres from the Spanish border.

This call to avoid border crossings in the Basque Country is made because the Summit will be held over days with a very high volume of vehicle movements by road:

• Summer weekend in which the number of movements are double those of a normal weekend.
• Busy return period for traffic under Operation Crossing the Strait from Morocco.
• Return of travellers from Portugal.
• Return for many European citizens after the summer holidays to their places of origin.

The border crossings that will foreseeably be affected are those of Behobia, Biriatou (AP-8); Puente de Santiago (N-I) and Dantxarinea (N-121-B) into France.

Taking these factors into account and that on the same dates in 2018, without a Summit of the characteristics of the G-7 being held, the build-up of traffic at these border crossings exceeded 200,000 vehicles heading into France, the DGT has established a plan with the aim of guaranteeing the movement of traffic and the safety of people who may be affected.

To prepare the operation, joint meetings have been held with the Regional Traffic Authority of the Basque Country, since this regional government has jurisdiction over this matter, so as to coordinate the actions planned.

Measures to adopt

In the event that the situation should so require, the DGT has planned a series of measures:

- Alternative routes:

Light vehicles:

• Main alternative: Return to France at the border by exiting the AP-7/N-II at La Junquera (Girona)
• Route 1a: Madrid - A-2 Zaragoza- A-23- N-330 Somport Tunnel- link with A-64 (Pau) motorway
• Route 1b: Madrid - A-2 Zaragoza - A-23 - A-136 Portalet Pass (Huesca) - link with A-64 (Pau) motorway
• Route 2: Madrid - Pamplona N-135 Valcarlos (Navarre) - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port link with A-64 motorway

Heavy vehicles:

• AP-7 border exit at La Junquera

- Obligatory diversion of heavy vehicles and other vehicles.

- Exceptionally, the containment of heavy vehicles in rest areas on the main corridors, to which end support will be provided by officers of the Guardia Civil Traffic Unit and through variable message signs (VMS) on motorways.

These messages will be adopted in coordination with the Regional Traffic Authority of the Basque Country according to the traffic situation in the region, where it is foreseeable that incidents may take place.

Human and technical resources

In order to implement these measures, the DGT has eight Traffic Management Centres, from where all actions on the network of highways under its jurisdiction are coordinated, although this operation would be particularly affected by the Management Centres of Madrid, Valladolid and Zaragoza in adopting such measures.

The air, helicopter and drone resource service will provide cover from 22 to 26 August on the A-1 in Burgos, Segovia and Madrid and on the A-4.

The services of the Guardia Civil Traffic Unit will also be stepped up on the A-1, A-4 and A-8 highways and on the alternative routes.

Information in real time

Through the channels available to the DGT (variable message signs on highways, web pages, social media, informative bulletins on the different radio stations when connections are made to report on the state of the traffic on the highways) information will continue to be provided on the importance of planning trips on the days prior to and subsequent to the Summit for those travelling in areas close to its location and avoiding, at any event, traveling into France from the Basque Country.

In addition, the DGT has got in touch with the main navigation system providers with the aim of contributing to the sharing of this information.

Non official translation