Swiss political alliance challenges motorway expansion with referendum

Within three months, 100,000 signatures were collected for the referendum proposal. A referendum is expected in the summer or autumn. Keystone/gaetan Bally

The "stop motorway construction mania" alliance submitted a referendum against the expansion of the Swiss motorways to the Federal Council on Thursday.

Within three months, 100,000 signatures were collected. A referendum is expected in the summer or autumn.

This collection result is a first major success in the fight against motorway expansion, announced the Swiss Transport Club (VCS) on behalf of the referendum alliance on Thursday. According to the VCS, a total of 66,450 of the 100,000 signatures collected had been officially certified by the time of submission.

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VCS President Ruedi Blumer was quoted as saying that the signatories had no understanding for the Federal Council and Parliament wanting to invest CHF5.3 billion ($6.2 billion) in motorways in the midst of the climate crisis. Changing mobility behaviour in favour of working from home, walking, cycling and public transport is the way forward. This is much more space-efficient, healthier and climate-friendly.

“The days of motorway expansion are over,” said parliamentarian Franziska Ryser, Co-President of the transport policy environmental organisation “Umverkehr” (un-transport).

Support from the left

The referendum also came about thanks to the support of the Social Democratic Party and the Green Party. For Social Democratic Party parliamentarian Brenda Tuosto, this is not a forward-looking policy and jeopardises the achievement of climate targets.

In addition to the damage to the climate, Green Party parliamentarian Florence Brenzikofer also focuses on the loss of natural space that would accompany the motorway expansion. Wider roads lead to the loss of cultivated land and biodiversity suffers. Motorways would also promote urban sprawl in Switzerland.

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Expansion of the motorway network

At the end of September last year, Parliament decided to build or expand motorways at a cost of CHF5.3 billion. Among other things, the A1 motorway between Bern-Wankdorf and Schönbühl, in canton Bern is to be widened from the current six to eight lanes and between Schönbühl and Kirchberg in canton Bern to six lanes. The A1 between Le Vengeron in canton Geneva and Nyon in canton Vaud is also to be widened to six lanes.

A broad alliance of environmental organisations has launched a referendum against this. The “Stop motorway construction madness” alliance is made up of 29 organisations, associations and parties. It is led by the VCS and the transport policy environmental organisation “Umverkehr”.

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