Truckers Block Roads in Europe

ARLON, Belgium (AP) - Truck drivers cut highways into Luxembourg today as European Union transport ministers gathered there to debate proposals to reduce truckers' working hours and to introduce new rules on weekend driving.

EU officials said differences among the 15 EU nations meant the daylong meeting was unlikely to produce any new trucking rules.

``We demand maximum working times of 48 hours (a week) for all the truck drivers all over Europe,'' Belgian transport union spokesman Frank Van Thillo said. ``The ministers still don't want to take a decision and we want to put pressure on them.''

The truckers caused long lines of traffic throughout the morning at Luxembourg's border crossings with Belgium, Germany and France, although they did not block traffic completely and allowed vehicles to filter in and out of the country.

Holdups were worst at the southern border with France. Some 30,000 French commuters were kept from their jobs in Luxembourg, said the French Regional Traffic Information Center. Alternative routes were set up, but cars were stranded bumper-to-bumper in some places for 3 miles.

Today's action followed Europe-wide protests by truck drivers Tuesday that caused widespread disruption on international highways.

The truckers want the ministers to impose a 48-hour maximum work week, claiming that they sometimes have to work up to 80 hours a week because of pressure from employers. They warn that the fatigue caused by long hours leads to accidents.

Truckers from some countries also oppose a proposal for the 15 EU nations to harmonize rules on weekend driving. French and German drivers in particular are concerned a change in the EU rules will mean they have to work longer weekend hours.