Supplements planned for the new Road Traffic Act – technical amendments and less parking tickets

The Government plans on introducing supplements for the new Road Traffic Act. They are based on amendments elsewhere in legislation that have been adopted after the approval of the Road Traffic Act and give reason to specify the Act. The Road Traffic Act is to enter into force on 1 June. The planned changes are mainly technical in nature.

The obligation to use a parking disc as well as the related parking time limit are proposed to be specified so that the time spent the previous day would not reduce the parking time the following day.

The Government also proposes that the already adopted provisions on the reform of the agencies in the administrative sector of the Ministry of Transport and Communications and on the so-called High Capacity Transport (HCT) and heavy snowmobiles approved for use on the road be included in the new Act.

In addition, it is proposed that a seven-year transition period be provided for the posting of new signs indicating two-way cycle tracks. The purpose of this amendment is to ease the financial burden placed on road maintenance operators due to the signs. In addition, the aim is to give time for the planning and implementation of high-quality cycling routes. 

What are the next steps?

A referral debate on the government proposal submitted to Parliament will be conducted in a Parliament plenary session. Information on the date of the session will be available on the Parliament website (plenary session agendas).

After the referral debate, the proposal will be sent to a Parliamentary Committee. Once the Committee report on the matter is completed, the debate will continue in the plenary session. 

The new Road Traffic Act will enter into force on 1 June 2020. The proposed amendments are expected to enter into force at the same time.

Information on the reform of the Road Traffic Act is available on the website of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom at www.tieliikennelaki2020.fi.

In social media, the hashtag for communications on the Road Traffic Act is #tieliikennelaki2020. 

Inquiries:

Kimmo Kiiski, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 50 539 5346