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In May this year, a law was passed allowing Neringa and Smiltyne residents and businesses to move through the Curonian Lagoon in order of priority. Unfortunately, registered residents of Neringa state that this right is not fully guaranteed.
To move from Neringa to Klaipeda, all traffic participants may have to wait in a traffic jam. In total, there are 3 lanes on that section of the road: 2 of them are designed to move towards the ferry, and the rest is a lane in the opposite direction to Neringa.
Only near the ferry accesses do these lanes fork. This creates a special road for Neringa residents and businesses, who have the right to move to Klaipeda on a priority basis.
Tried to get on the ferry without queuing, got a ticket
Matas Lasauskas, a lawyer registered in Neringa, told tv3.lt that the residents of Neringa, who prefer to travel through the Curonian lagoon, are far from always being able to exercise this right.
Last Thursday, August 19, there was a traffic jam on the road from Neringa to Klaipeda. On the Facebook network, M. Lasauskas shared the story of a relative from Neringa, who that afternoon tried to reach the bar for people who could move in order of priority.
According to M. Lasauskas, this permanent resident of Neringa, the owner of the restaurant, went to Klaipeda on business. He rushed to the ferry, crossed a solid double line, and attempted to get into the lane of permit traffic in the opposite lane.
However, the driver was blocked by a police officer stopped in a traffic jam. According to M. Lasauskas, the official did it illegally. The driver was ticketed for violating traffic rules (KET).
The police have found a violation of article 420 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (ANC), which establishes responsibility for dangerous driving. The driver was fined and deprived of the right to drive for 3 months.
According to M. Lasauskas, such punishment is unjustified. He was bothered by a Facebook post that said the driver had been too strict. In his opinion, the responsibility should have been assigned under the first paragraph of article 417 of the ANK for the non-compliance of the traffic signs or the violation of the KET.
“A resident of Neringa not only received a fine for trying to exercise his legal right to move without queuing, <...> But he was still deprived of the right to drive for 3 months! ”- the man wrote on Facebook.
Proposes to change the order of traffic to exercise the right of priority
M. Lasauskas described to the portal tv3.lt the problems faced by residents registered in Neringa.
“Cars waiting in a common queue create congestion on both lanes and entities with permits can no longer exercise their legal rights. <...> The right of local residents to skip-the-line by ferry is not guaranteed by the existing infrastructure or by the employees of Smiltynės perkėlos.
As a result, the locals have to queue and wait sometimes even for hours. Only right next to the ferry, unreasonably representative of the entire common queue, can locals get to their priority lane for authorized entities. Meanwhile, he is always free and to achieve this it would be necessary to cross a continuous double horizontal marking line ”, M. Lasauskas described the situation.
M. Lasauskas also wondered on his Facebook account why intercity buses can cross a continuous line and avoid traffic jams, and residents registered in Neringa who have carried out a similar action remain sanctioned.
“It is not clear on what basis shuttle buses are exempted. Everyone tolerates buses being able to cross a double continuous line because they supposedly operate a public service and have to travel designated routes on time. Police and ferry workers they even allow buses to avoid traffic jams, and that does not outrage anyone. <...> However, when the same action is carried out by a neighbor, trying to enforce the right that corresponds to him by law, he is sanctioned, blocks the road, as we can see, even depriving him of the right to drive ”, M Lasauskas shared.
According to him, some visitors to Neringa are outraged that registered residents are able to travel by ferry on a priority basis. According to M. Lasauskas, this law should be implemented with more care.
“The public, more specifically unauthorized vacationers, do not accept this privilege of people and other entities that have declared their place of residence, but there is a law <...> establishing this right for indigenous peoples and other persons authorized to move in line. It is with such enactment of the law that it must be accompanied by its actual application and enforcement. To this day, there is no such guarantee, ”said attorney M. Lasauskas.
In his opinion, the procedure for accessing the ferry should be modified so that residents registered in Neringa can exercise the right granted to them.
“It just came to our attention then. The current legal framework gives police officers the right and obligation to regulate traffic during congestion or emergencies by directing vehicles in such a way as to avoid the relevant obstacle. <...> The police have the right to direct the flow of cars, and of course through a continuous double line of horizontal road markings, to ensure traffic safety. And traffic safety can be ensured with the help of sound transmission equipment installed in each police vehicle. Only two policemen are needed to ensure that when the roadway is clear on the opposite side, cars with permits can safely enter the lane that belongs to them, ”said M. Lasauskas.
He added that it would also be possible to clear the second lane or to think about redrawing the horizontal road markings.
“Of course, a different approach is needed from the relocated workers, ensuring the right of the local population to move without queuing. All that is needed is a different treatment of the situation, ”said M. Lasauskas.
He regretted that the residents of Neringa often have to wait in a common queue: The current attitude and order violates the rights of the residents of Neringa and Smiltynė, as well as the quality of life, so this order must definitely change ”.
On the situation, M. Lasauskas officially addressed the responsible institutions: he sent inquiries to the Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis, the mayor of Neringa Darius Jasaitis and others.
Head of the Commissariat of Neringa: KET rules apply to everyone
Last Thursday, the head of the Neringa Police Commissariat (PK) Viktoras Freigofs also queued for the ferry. It was he who stopped the aforementioned local businessman from Neringa, who had gone down the oncoming lane of traffic.
V. Freigof told tv3.lt that the driver tried to get around the traffic jam violating traffic regulations (KET). That day a total of 6 violations of a similar nature were recorded.
“I explained to the man that he was breaking the rules and that he would be punished. I suggested not driving [toliau – aut. past.]”And he was still driving,” recalled the chief commissioner.
He explained how residents registered in Neringa must exercise their right of priority: “They can only enter the ferry without queuing on the ferry territory. In all other streets, they are equally subject to the traffic rules, which they must comply with. “
When entering the territory of the ferry, a separate, specially marked lane is seen, which is intended for people who have permission to enter the ferry without queuing.
When asked what driving rules apply to buses, whether they can drive in the opposite lane and thus avoid traffic jams, the boss replied: “Well, I don’t know, I haven’t seen them go out. In any case, the traffic rules they are the same for everyone. “
The portal tv3.lt asked the opinion of the owner of Neringa SC if it would be worth changing the current procedure so that entities registered in Neringa could more easily exercise the right of priority granted to them to move through the Curlandia lagoon.
“There is no such legislation to this day. There are traffic rules, there is a marked track, there are no infractions. Unless you need to do some repairs and offer other options to obtain them,” Freigof said.
The law is in force since May
The portal tv3.lt recalls that in May this year the Seimas decided that residents of Neringa, Smiltynė and companies registered here can move around the Curonian lagoon in order of priority. Also, the priority applies to some other people.
From June from Monday to Friday from 00:00 to 18:00. Employees of the Klaipėda municipality, its controlled companies and other companies registered in Neringa and their transport are admitted to the ferry first.
People with disabilities and their cars, special service cars, as well as people and their vehicles who have declared their place of residence in Neringa and Smiltyne are admitted to the ferry 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Plus, Curonian Spit Forest Enterprise employees and cars can get up without queuing.
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