Swiss government’s plan to tackle traffic congestion stirs criticism; drought in Switzerland remains ‘severe’ despite some rain; and more news in our Monday roundup.
Government’s plan to tackle increasing traffic congestion stirs criticism
Following the rejection of the motorway network expansion in a 2024 referendum, the government is seeking alternative solutions to alleviate the worsening motorway traffic congestion.
Concretely, the Federal Roads Office (ASTRA) is planning to install 120 sets of traffic lights to regulate access to motorways – a system that allows vehicles to enter in waves to limit traffic jams and accidents on highways.
However, this strategy risks causing queues on cantonal and local roads leading up to motorways, drawing criticism from cities and cantons.
READ MORE: The numbers that reveal how bad traffic on Swiss motorways has become
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Despite some rainfall, drought in Switzerland remains ‘severe’
Between 20 and 40 millimetres of precipitation were recorded in Switzerland in recent days.
However, this rainfall has ‘improved’ the situation by only 15 to 35 percent, as the a significant portion of this water evaporated or ran off due to dry soil conditions.
Furthermore, the situation is unlikely to change much in the medium term, with the MeteoSchweiz weather service describing the drought as still ‘severe.
MP wants to impose a door-opening technique on motorists to protect cyclists
Deputy Hasan Candan wants to make the so-called “Dutch Reach” method for opening car doors a legal requirement in Switzerland.
It consists of using the hand furthest from the door latch to open the car door with less force and thus prevent serious collisions with cyclists.
But some legislators, like Erich Hess, argue that the idea has no merit.
“There is certainly no need for a law dictating how someone opens a door; that is complete nonsense and impossible to enforce,” he said.
It is now up to Transport Minister Albert Rösti to weigh in on the matter.
Kosovo national posed as a French citizen to receive a Swiss work permit
According to media reports this weekend, the man in question managed to deceive Swiss authorities in both Zurich and Geneva – the country’s two largest migration offices – obtaining a cross-border commuter permit G, and subsequently succeeding in registering two companies in Switzerland under his (false) identity as a French national.
His identity was eventually discovered and he was arrested while crossing the border into Geneva.
He was then slapped with thousands of francs in fines but there is no word about his current status in Switzerland.
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