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Only three weeks to go and the Swiss will vote on their Citizens''s Initiative to reduce motorised road traffic. On 12 March 2000 they will have the chance to set an example and make a step forward to sustainable traffic and mobility for all. umverkehR - actif-trafiC - traficO In the late eighties of last century - way back it seems - some people in Switzerland put their heads together and started a brave and brilliant initiative. For more mobility for all, a better lifestyle and more future they propose to reduce motorised private road traffic by half. They saw the same picture of an unrestrained carworld as the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment. Recognising that there are better ways than building roads that create more traffic that demand more roads, they started the Citizen's Initiative umverkehR (New Mobility) - actif-trafiC - traficO. The required 100,000 signatures were easily collected within the legal time frame of 18 months and presented to the Swiss government in March 1996. Thorough and serious as the Swiss work, they had debates in Parliament and investigations by the department for traffic and the environment. And now the big moment has come: on the 12th of March the Swiss will cast their vote. Government, the majority in parliament and the conservative business organisations oppose the initiative, painting the devil on the wall. But many normal citizens understand that one cannot carry on with business as usual. Climate change, smog, the real threats and instances of hurricanes and floods have already led to a new awareness. Some yesterday people still believe that there are no limits. An environment court judge in Wellington ruled only last year that new roads do not lead to more traffic. She ruled that a 30 year old "Inner City Bypass" road project can now be realised. Alas. If built, it will become another stretch of expensive public parking space where automobilists can relax on their commuter trips. An Englishman, just arrived in Wellington, reported that the M25, the circular motorway around London, is the largest free car park in the UK. New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, has a similar traffic gridlock. Wellington is only lucky in a sense that its frequent winds blow the fumes away. In Switzerland, standing on the Jura mountain range, one can see the yellow layer of smog stretching from Zuerich to Bern. Motorised road traffic is a major problem almost everywhere in our global village. So we think that people all over the world should help the Swiss to get it right and set the example. Some global citizens may have the position that could sway some of the opposing Swiss magistrates. Please let us know. We will provide the contact details, email and fax addresses. Your help could swing the balance. New Mobility will eliminate the frustration of innumerable drivers who can't see the end of the road. umverkehR will create mobility for all, including the responsible car users. actif-trafiC is the way to a sustainable future.   or   umverkehR New Mobility actif-trafiC traficO in Switzerland Feedback to: <welcome@ecoglobe.org.nz>

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22 February ecoglobe news 2000

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