The new rule has made it especially difficult to find suitable places to stop to load goods in the capital, where traffic is heavy and tricky locations are everywhere, DPD Estonia CEO Remo Kirss told ERR.

"A really good example of this is at the beginning of Pärnu Highway in Tallinn, where technically you'd have to stop on the street to load goods — but since there's only one lane, doing so immediately blocks traffic," Kirss said.

According to Valdo Põder, head of law enforcement at the Tallinn Municipal Police Department, city residents are also quick to report parking and stopping violations.

"Every day we get reports about delivery companies, rug delivery services, movers and freight transporters parking on sidewalks," Põder noted.

Stopping to load goods in Tallinn's Old Town, for example, requires a separate permit from the local government, explained Kalle Toomet, an adviser at the Association of Estonian Cities and Municipalities (ELVL).

"In urban environments where narrow city streets have historically been the norm, it's simply not possible to foresee all parking or stopping situations under this legislation," Toomet acknowledged.

At DPD Estonia, Kirss proposed establishing temporary stopping zones in hard-to-access locations as a possible solution.

"These days, even an average television is already something a typical delivery person can't just tuck under their arm, and it definitely isn't practical to walk down the street with it," the CEO pointed out.

While a small package can be delivered without issue, delivery trucks carrying furniture are already a bigger challenge, he added.

Safer for pedestrians

Before the amendment took effect, the ELVL and freight transport and delivery companies worked together to explore various options for establishing suitable loading zones, but according to Toomet, they didn't manage to come up with a solution.

"You can't just immediately reorganize or rebuild existing infrastructure," he acknowledged. "On top of that, it also creates extra financial burdens that aren't easy to cover right away."

At the city's municipal police department, Põder highlighted that the change will contribute to a calmer traffic culture and safer mobility.

"Safety starts first and foremost with keeping pedestrians and drivers separated from each other," he added.

According to Põder, the legislative amendment has not yet caused any drastic changes in traffic.

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