Police prepare extensive controls for European Bike Week

Police in Carinthia are preparing an extensive security and traffic operation for the European Bike Week motorcycle rally around Lake Faak from September 8 to 13, ORF reported. Thousands of motorcyclists are expected, with around 150,000 overnight stays forecast during the event.

Klaus Ehrenbrandtner of Kärnten Werbung described the Harley rally as the most important autumn event for the wider central Carinthia region. He said the visitors were generally affluent and in their mid-50s or older.

The event programme will include two large tents with live stages and more than 30 bands, as well as a shopping village, demonstration rides, Jeep tours, fashion shows and stunt performances. Camping Arneitz will serve as the centre of the event.

Police said priority checks would focus on helmet use, speeding, alcohol and drugs at the wheel, motorcycle safety and compliance with stopping and parking restrictions. Traffic around Lake Faak will again run counter-clockwise.

The Faaker Seeufer-Landesstraße L53 and the Faaker See road B84 around the lake will be closed to general traffic from 10am on September 8 until noon on September 13, or longer if required. Exceptions will apply to bikers, supply vehicles between 5am and 10am, authorised local residents, businesses and their employees, shuttle buses, public transport, authorised taxis, bicycles and emergency vehicles.

Visitors arriving by car or motorcycle can use two large car parks near Pogöriacher Straße L44, another beside the Faaker See road B84 at the western entrance to Drobollach, and a further car park beside the same road in Oberferlach, east of the Arneitz event centre. Shuttle services will operate from the Finkenstein and Ledenitzen car parks, throughout the event grounds and to and from central Villach.

The Harley parade will start at noon on September 12 from Villach’s main square. The route will run towards Feldkirchen, around Lake Ossiach, to Wernberg, Lind near Velden and Rosegg, before returning to Lake Faak. Motorcycles will assemble from 10am on Rosental Straße B85 at the junction with Pogöriacher Straße.

Roads will be closed in both directions for at least 30 minutes before the front of the parade arrives until the final vehicles have passed. The affected route includes Rosental Straße B85, Finkensteiner Straße L51, Warmbader Straße, Italiener Straße, Pestalozzistraße, 10.-Oktober Straße, Villach’s main square, Bahnhofstraße, Bahnhofplatz, Willroider Straße, Steinwender Straße, Genotteallee, Vassacher Straße, Drautal Straße and Ossiacher Straße towards Feldkirchen.

Further closures will affect Ossiacher Straße B94 and L49, Ossiacher Südufer Straße, Kärntner Straße B83 to Lind near Velden, Selpritscher Straße L60 and Rosegger Straße L52 to the Faaker See road B84.

At the Villach-Ossiacher See interchange on the A10 Tauern motorway, the exit to B94 and the entry from B94 onto the A10 will be closed in both directions from noon to 2pm on September 12.