Merwedebrug truck ban leads to 96 fines in the Netherlands

In the first five days after a ban on heavy traffic was imposed on the Merwedebrug (A27) near Gorinchem, 96 drivers of trucks and touring‑cars received €500 fines for crossing the bridge despite the restriction. The ban, introduced on 18 July, follows an inspection that revealed the steel arch construction to be weaker than expected, prompting Rijkswaterstaat to close the bridge to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and install cameras to record violations.

All fines were issued to vehicles with Dutch licence plates because the breach does not yet fall under EU licence‑plate‑exchange agreements. From 1 September, similar penalties will apply to trucks from Belgium, Germany and Switzerland under separate arrangements. The bridge remains open to passenger cars, motorcycles, vans, line buses and emergency services, while heavy freight is detoured via the A16 and A2. Rijkswaterstaat continues to assess the bridge’s structural condition and plans new crossings to replace the aging Merwedebrug in the future.