Two Italian trucks use the Mont Blanc tunnel on the first day of the reopening for trucks carrying up to 19 tonnes of freight, April 8, 2002.
REUTERS/Robert Pratta/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Key maintenance works on the Mont Blanc tunnel between Italy and France have been postponed until September next year, Italy's transport ministry said, after the partial closure of an alternative Alpine route caused major traffic disruptions in recent weeks.
A decision on the rescheduling of work on the Mont Blanc tunnel, which is 11.6 kilometres (7.2 miles) long, had been expected this week after an initial accord between Italy's and France's transport ministries for a delay.
The Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels are key to Italy's exports to France, and there were concerns that their double closure would come at heavy economic cost.
According to Italian business lobby Assolombarda, 1.4 million trucks, carrying more than 12 million tons of goods passed through the two tunnels in 2021.
Persons:
Robert Pratta, Mont, Federico Maccioni, Keith Weir
Organizations:
REUTERS, Thomson
Locations:
Blanc, Mont Blanc, Italy, France, Italy's, Frejus