EU meeting to affect Helsinki traffic

The unofficial EU meeting of the environment and climate ministers in Helsinki will affect traffic arrangements in the metropolitan area, especially in Helsinki and Vantaa, on July 10 and July 12, said a press release issued by Helsinki police.

The traffic will be affected between the Helsinki Airport and Finlandia Hall, which is serving as a meeting point, as the guests arrive between 2:00 PM and midnight on Wednesday, 10th of July.

Likewise, the traffic will be affected between Finlandia Hall and the Helsinki Airport as the guests leave between 2 PM and 7 PM on Friday 12th of July.

“EU meeting convoys cause regular yet short interruptions in the traffic, particularly on Wednesday and on Friday. The traffic is not affected on Thursday,” Chief Inspector Jarkko Lehtinen from the Helsinki Police said.

The traffic is most likely affected on Wednesday afternoon during the rush hour as the guests arrive to Helsinki.

“The most significant traffic interruptions will be on Tuusulantie, on Kehä I, on Hämeenlinnanväylä and on Mannerheimintie in the direction of the Helsinki city centre.”

The traffic is also interrupted during Friday afternoon as the guests are leaving towards the airport.

“I recommend that you use other routes than Mannerheimintie, Hämeenlinnanväylä, Kehä I and Tuusulanväylä at that time. You can for example use Itäväylä, Länsiväylä, Finnish national roads 1 and 4 or Vihdintie, Lehtinen lists,” Lehtinen said.

According to Lehtinen, this meeting does not affect the traffic as much as last weeks EU meeting of ministers responsible for competitiveness did.

There are restrictions on aviation inside a temporary no-fly zone due to an unofficial EU meeting of the environment and climate ministers. The restrictions will be in place from Wednesday 10th of July 2019 at 8 am to Friday 12th of July 2019 at 9 pm.

Around Finlandia Hall, there will be a rectangular no-fly zone, extending 700–1000 metres from Finlandia Hall. The no-fly zone covers 300 metres above ground.

The no-fly zone has been established due to the security arrangements relating to the EU meeting.

“The police monitor the restrictions actively and intervene with any perceived violations. Ramifications of such violations include fines. In addition, the instruments of crime can be ordered forfeit to the state,” Lehtinen quoted Chief Inspector Sami Hätönen, who is responsible for air traffic during the event, as saying.

The restrictions will not apply to the military, border guard, police, customs, maritime and aviation authorities, nor the authorities engaged in rescue, paramedic or patient transport services, or flights authorised by them, when carrying out their duties requires flying over the area.

The restrictions will also not apply to urgent medical aviation activities on helicopters, or to flights based on an international obligation which Finland must comply with.