A common sight in Geneva: cars lined up along Lac Léman.
Keystone-SDA
In Geneva, a CHF39.5 million ($47.7 million) funding package to co-finance cross-border transport infrastructure was approved on Sunday by a large majority of 56.8% of voters.
For the cantonal minister in charge of mobility, Pierre Maudet, the result on Sunday crowns “a collective and pragmatic approach”. Maudet highlighted the important work carried out by Geneva authorities to avoid a repeat of 2014’s outcome, when Geneva voters had refused to fund park-and-ride facilities in the neighbouring French region of Haute-Savoie.
The credit approved on Sunday will co-finance 12 projects ready to be implemented in Haute-Savoie and in Ain, France, for CHF34.5 million. Backed by a broad coalition of parties and associations from business circles and active in mobility, it represents 22% of the total financing, while more than half comes from France and the remainder from the Swiss federal government.
The projects include park-and-ride facilities, but also priority bus lanes and the extension of a tram line to Ferney-Voltaire, France. The goal is to eliminate 15,000 of the 33,000 daily vehicles at the border by 2030. Geneva’s funding will be suspended if a project is modified or abandoned. Another requirement, from Bern, is a maximum implementation deadline of three years.
Local opposition
Geneva’s cantonal parliament backed the mandatory referendum, given the threat by the Geneva Citizens’ Movement party to launch a referendum itself otherwise. The party, which was alone in being against the proposal, said on Sunday that the close result “shows an opposition of the population to the government’s policy of spending taxpayer money recklessly on infrastructure in neighbouring France”. There was a majority “no” vote in five border municipalities, including Thônex and Meyrin.
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But overall a majority of voters were receptive to arguments about reducing traffic at customs points, and therefore congestion, as well as noise pollution and air pollution. The 12 projects are expected to generate an estimated gain of CHF7 million per year for the Geneva community, according to the government.
Of the CHF39.5 million approved on Sunday, CHF5 million are earmarked for environmental and health projects directly benefiting canton Geneva. The list includes natural hazard prevention, such as River Arve flooding, cross-border drought management and training of healthcare staff to meet the needs of an ageing population.
How we produce news in English
Translated from French, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
