At parliament’s request, the Federal Council said on Wednesday that, from October 1st, municipalities wishing to lower the limit on main roads will have to show that the change will not divert traffic into residential neighbourhoods, reported RTS. An expert assessment will be required to demonstrate that the lower limit is unlikely to cause undesirable displacement of traffic.
The government said the aim was to prevent motorists from abandoning 30km/h main roads for quieter residential streets. It added that the proposal had won broad support during consultation.
In addition, priority to traffic from the right will no longer apply on roads open to general traffic where the limit is 30km/h, in order to keep vehicles moving smoothly. Pedestrian crossings will still be permitted on such roads.
The government has, however, dropped a proposal that would have required municipalities to give priority to low-noise road surfaces before introducing a 30km/h limit. Such surfaces can reduce traffic noise more than lower speed limits, but they are also more expensive. The idea was strongly opposed by most cantons, cities and municipalities.
Municipalities will remain free to impose 30km/h limits in residential neighbourhoods. Since the beginning of 2023 they have not had to commission an expert assessment before doing so, and may introduce lower limits simply to improve residents’ quality of life, without having to cite road safety or environmental concerns.
Several cities, including Fribourg, Lausanne, Sion, Zurich and Winterthur, have already imposed 30km/h limits on stretches of main road, in some cases at night and in others throughout the day, chiefly to reduce traffic noise. The measures have proved politically contentious. Centre-right parties in the federal parliament and several cantonal legislatures have generally argued that main roads should retain the 50km/h limit.
Public opinion is similarly divided. An online poll by RTS found that 51% of respondents favoured expanding 30km/h zones, while 46% opposed doing so. Supporters point chiefly to benefits for health and road safety. Many opponents do not reject 30km/h zones altogether, but would prefer the 50km/h limit to remain on main roads.
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RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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