• Protesters caused a long shutdown of the Brenner Pass, a critical transit link between Austria and Italy, due to an environmental protest.
• Traffic was flowing smoothly across the Brenner Pass on Sunday after the closure was lifted, with no reported delays or traffic jams.
• Authorities urged people to avoid unnecessary journeys and shut down the pass to transit traffic for several hours during the protest against heavy traffic in the region.

Traffic was flowing smoothly across the Brenner Pass on Sunday after protesters caused a long shutdown of the Alpine road link between Austria and Italy the previous day.

Cameras of the motorway operator ASFINAG showed heavy traffic in places along the route through the Austrian province of Tyrol. No traffic jams or delays were initially reported.

The Austrian motorists' club ÖAMTC said many holidaymakers had postponed their journeys and were now setting off following the lifting of the closure.

On Saturday, a demonstration against heavy traffic in the region took place in the pass at the border between the countries. Authorities urged people to avoid making unnecessary journeys and shut the corridor to transit traffic for several hours.

On the Austrian side of the border, cars and motorcycles were barred from using the route between 11 am (0900 GMT) and 7 pm. On the Italian side, restrictions were in force from 10:30 am until 8 pm.