Informal Meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers of EU member states will have a significant impact on traffic in Helsinki

Informal Meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers of EU member states will have a significant impact on traffic in the Helsinki metropolitan area from Wednesday, 17 July until Friday, 19 July - aviation will also be restricted

The Informal Meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers of EU member states in Helsinki will affect traffic arrangements in the metropolitan area, especially in Helsinki and Vantaa, from Wednesday, 17 July 2019 until Friday, 19 July 2019.

The convoys for the guests will significantly disrupt traffic between Helsinki-Vantaa airport and the meeting place, Finlandia Hall, on Wednesday, 17 July from 1 pm until midnight. In addition, the guests will move from the accommodations to the meeting place, and therefore cause traffic interruptions in the Helsinki city centre between 7 pm and 8 pm.

The traffic in the Helsinki city centre will be interrupted when the guests move from their hotels to the meeting place on Thursday, 18 July between 7 am and 8 am. In addition, interruptions in traffic are to be expected between the meeting place, Finlandia Hall, and Helsinki-Vantaa airport in both directions on Thursday from 11 am until 5 pm.

Likewise, traffic will be affected between Finlandia Hall and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport as the guests leave on Friday, 19 July between 11 am and 8 pm.

The most significant traffic interruptions take place during the Thursday afternoon rush hour – it is highly recommended to use alternative routes

Interruptions in traffic are to be expected between the meeting place, Finlandia Hall, and Helsinki-Vantaa airport in both directions on Thursday from 11 am until 5 pm. At this time, most of the guests will be leaving, but at the same time there will be at least as many new ones.

– At that time, the roads between Finlandia Hall and the airport will get jammed badly, so we definitely recommend using alternative routes, says Chief Inspector Jarkko Lehtinen from the Helsinki Police Department.

– If you want to for example cross Mannerheimintie during rush hour, you have to prepare for at least one hour of queuing, also on Kehä I, when driving between Hämeenlinnanväylä and Tuusulanväylä, Lehtinen adds.

The most significant traffic interruptions will be on Tuusulanväylä, on Kehä I, on Hämeenlinnanväylä and on Mannerheimintie in the direction of the Helsinki city centre. For exiting and entering Helsinki you can for example use Itäväylä, Länsiväylä, Turunväylä, Vihdintie and the Lahti motorway.

– The impact on traffic this week is clearly higher than during the meeting of the environment and climate ministers last week. This meeting will have double the amount of ministers, distinctly more movements and convoys. It is also expected that the convoys cause traffic interruptions in the Helsinki city centre.

Public transport, cycling and walking

Changes are expected in public transport, especially in the inner city of Helsinki and on routes between the airport and Helsinki city centre.

Exceptions are reported on the Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) website at hsl.fi.

Bicycle or pedestrian traffic will not be allowed in the surroundings of Finlandia Hall, as the area is completely isolated. However, you can get around the Töölönlahti bay right along the shore.

Before and during the meeting days, it is advisable to follow the following websites and social media channels:
Helsinki Police Department: www.twitter.com/helsinkipoliisi, www.poliisi.fi/helsinki, www.facebook.com/helsinginpoliisilaitos, www.instagram.com/helsinkipoliisi
Eastern Uusimaa Police Department: www.twitter.com/iupoliisi
HSL: HSL.fi

Aviation restricted in the surroundings of Finlandia Hall

There are restrictions on aviation inside a temporary no-fly zone due to the Informal Meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers. The restrictions will be in place from 8 am Wednesday, 17 July 2019 until 9 pm Friday, 19 July 2019.

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 monitors the restrictions actively and intervenes with any perceived violations. Ramifications of such violations include fines. In addition, the instruments of crime can be ordered forfeit to the State, says Chief Inspector Sami Hätönen who is responsible for air traffic during the event.

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.

The droneinfo.fi-website has the exact information about the temporary no-fly zone. Please note! Information can not be found on the Droneinfo application.

– Another option is to use other sources of information, for example the unofficial aviamaps.com-website or the Aviamaps application, which give real time information. We as authorities, too, have noticed them to be working and reliable sources of information concerning temporary no-fly zones.

The Helsinki Police Department reliably informs about the temporary no-fly zone during the EU meeting on Twitter: www.twitter.com/helsinkipoliisi

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