The unofficial EU meeting of the agricultural ministers in Helsinki will affect traffic arrangements in the metropolitan area, especially in Helsinki and Vantaa, from Sunday, 22 September 2019 to Tuesday, 24 September 2019.
During this meeting, the impacts on traffic are minor, because the guests are arriving on Sunday when there is less traffic. “In addition, a part of the meeting programme is arranged elsewhere than the areas of dense population”, says Chief Inspector Jarkko Lehtinen of the Helsinki Police Department.
The convoys transporting guests to Helsinki will be causing interference in traffic on Sunday, 22 September. At this time, there may be regular breaks in traffic between Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and the hotels in Helsinki city centre until the evening.
Short breaks in traffic may be experienced in Helsinki city centre on Tuesday when guests are being transported from the hotels to the meeting venue in Finlandia Hall in the morning between 8:00 and 9:00 am. Likewise, traffic will be affected between Finlandia Hall and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport as the guests leave Helsinki on Tuesday, 24 September starting at around 1:00 pm.
The impact on traffic will mainly be on the routes between Helsinki city centre and the airport.
The most significant traffic interruptions will be on Tuusulanväylä, on Kehä I, on Hämeenlinnanväylä and on Mannerheimintie.
“When arriving in Helsinki on Sunday or leaving Helsinki on Tuesday, it is advisable to use alternative routes, such as Itäväylä, Länsiväylä, Turunväylä, Vihdintie and the motorway to Lahti,” Lehtinen says.
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 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.
Aviation restricted in the surroundings of Finlandia Hall
Aviation will be restricted over the temporary no-fly zone in Helsinki. The restrictions will begin on Sunday, 22 September, at 8:00 am and end on Tuesday, 24 September at 9:00 pm.
Around Finlandia Hall, there will be a rectangular no-fly zone, extending 700–1,000 metres from Finlandia Hall. The no-fly zone covers 300 metres above ground.
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 droneinfo.fi website has the exact information about the temporary no-fly zone. Please note that information cannot 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 provide real time information. We as authorities, too, have noticed them to be working and reliable sources of information concerning temporary no-fly zones”, says Chief Inspector Sami Hätönen .
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
