Transport Minister on the highway situation Albert Rösti: "50,000 hours of traffic jams and too many accidents"
On November 24, Swiss voters will decide on the planned expansion of the freeways. blue News asked Transport Minister Albert Rösti some pressing questions about mobility.
Several important challenges
- In an interview with blue News, Transport Minister Albert Rösti talks about the challenges of mobility in Switzerland (videos in French).
- The aim is to find a balance between the expansion of freeways and investment in rail transport.
- Rösti also explains his priorities in terms of traffic flow and safety.
Balance between rail and road
While the Swiss population has risen from 6 to 9 million since the 1960s, the demand for mobility is constantly growing and requires investment in both the rail network and the motorways. In the video, Transport Minister Albert Rösti explains how he envisages an intelligent combination of modes of transport (video in French).
Smooth traffic flow and safety on the national roads
As only 3 percent of Swiss roads carry 40 percent of private and 70 percent of freight traffic, Albert Rösti emphasizes how important it is to keep these transport routes in good working order. The problem of traffic jams that lead to accidents is also a key issue in ensuring road safety. In the video, the Federal Council explains its priorities in terms of traffic flow and safety.
The response to criticism
Critics of freeway expansion argue for a reduction in the number of vehicles on climate grounds. The Federal Council responds in the video by discussing the future of electric and hydrogen mobility and says that these new technologies will change the situation in terms of the CO2 footprint of cars.
Financing the infrastructure: road versus rail
As is so often the case, the question of financing also arises when it comes to infrastructure. Albert Rösti justifies the planned investments and at the same time emphasizes the importance of balanced financing in order to meet mobility needs.