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Swiss voters reject traffic-halving 78.5 per cent of the voters rejected the bold intiative that would have reduced motorised road traffic by 50 per cent over the next ten years. The decision was taken by 43.7 per cent of the constituency. A bold initiative with a sound ecological perspective was stopped. Only one in five voters said yes to a mandatory reduction of motorised private road traffic by 50 per cent over ten years. The Swiss roads and the exemplary public transport systems are jammed and overloaded. The environmental effects are visible. More roads and more public transport facilities lead to more traffic. In Switzerland, a country one sixth the size of New Zealand, yet with twice our population, there is hardly any space left. The country is full and the people suffer the traffic. This is reflected in the polling results of the large cities. In Zuerich and Bern two out of five people voted yes. The result would certainly have been much better if people would not fear for their jobs. Like in many parts of the industrialised world, globalisation has led to a tense employment situation. Environmental worries have slipped down the scale of priorities, understandably but regrettably. The Swiss road and tunnel builders have recently started their own Citizens' Initiative, "Avanti", for more roads. Remains to be seen what will happen in Wellington, with Auckland as the bad traffic example. Also compare: CityVoice Wellington 2 March 2000The Swiss New Mobility wave has reached Wellington, New Zealand News about the Swiss New Mobility Campaign Feedback to: <welcome@ecoglobe.org.nz>

People make the difference

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13 March ecoglobe news 2000

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