Porto hails "promising" start to VCI truck ban as hauliers count costs

Porto's mobility councillor Hugo Beirão says early data on the heavy-vehicle ban on the VCI, in force since Tuesday, are "promising", and predicts hauliers' complaints will fade "within days". Trucks over 3,500kg must now use the CREP/A41 instead, adding up to 57km per trip according to operator Luís Simões. In the first three days, police recorded 27 infractions. Haulage firms Luís Simões and Torrestir warn of higher fuel costs, bureaucratic strain from the new authorisation platform, and potential knock-on effects for consumer prices, though both say they will comply with the rules.

This appeared in the Pulse of 3 September 2026 — Read that edition →