Foreign motorists passing through Switzerland without stopping may soon have to pay. This week, after the upper house, parliament also approved a proposal to introduce a transit toll, reported SRF. The move reflects growing concern about congestion on Switzerland’s trans-Alpine routes.
Traffic through the Gotthard corridor regularly grinds to a halt on weekends and public holidays, with queues stretching for kilometres. The strain is felt not only by residents but also by fragile Alpine ecosystems. Previous attempts to curb traffic with tolls have failed to win support; this proposal however, has now cleared parliament and the Council of States, Switzerland’s upper house.
The measure targets drivers crossing Switzerland from one border to another. Simon Stadler, a centre-right lawmaker, said congestion had worsened markedly over the past decade, with jams occurring almost every weekend from spring to autumn. The motion, tabled by Marco Chiesa of the Swiss People’s Party, cleared parliament by 173 votes to 13, with three abstentions. Only the Green Liberal Party opposed it.
Practical and political concerns
The Federal Council has voiced reservations. Monitoring all border crossings would be costly and administratively complex, it argues, and defining transit traffic in legal terms would be difficult. Critics also warn of diplomatic repercussions. Barbara Schaffner of the Green Liberal Party said the measure would disproportionately target foreign drivers at a time when Switzerland is seeking to stabilise relations with the European Union.
A significant share of traffic
Data from the Federal Statistical Office suggest that roughly a third of passenger traffic across the Alps consists of transit journeys. Domestic trips account for another third, with the remainder made up of cross-border travel to and from Switzerland. The most common transit route runs between Germany and Italy through the Gotthard tunnel.
Most Alpine journeys are for leisure. Such trips account for around 87% of road traffic, far outweighing commuting or other purposes.
Next steps
With both chambers having endorsed the proposal, the Federal Council must now draft legislation. Because a transit toll would probably require a constitutional amendment, the measure could ultimately be put to a referendum.
More on this:
SRF article (in German)
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
