This week, Switzerland’s Federal Council decided the planned electronic motorway vignette will be optional. Drivers will be able to choose. Anyone wanting to drive on Switzerland’s motorway network must first buy a vignette, a road tax sticker introduced in 1985, which must be displayed on the windscreen. It currently costs CHF 40. The government’s announcement […]
French road protests likely to affect traffic in parts Switzerland
This Saturday, protests by the “Yellow vests”, a group protesting over rising French fuel prices, are expected to cause gridlock on roads across France, according to various French newspapers. It is feared the effects could spillover into nearby Switzerland. The group is voicing its anger over rising fuel prices, which have risen because of higher […]
Electric cars in Switzerland must soon make fake noise
Starting mid next year, electric and hybrid cars in Switzerland must emit noise to improve pedestrian safety, in particular the safety of those with impaired sight. The news was reported in the newspaper NZZ am Sonntag and confirmed by the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO). Electric and hybrid cars will need to be fitted with external […]
Gotthard tunnel speeder finally behind bars
Four years after a reckless life-threatening trip through Switzerland’s Gotthard tunnel, a German speeder was finally put behind bars in Germany on Tuesday. The police went and collected him from his home in Stuttgart, according to the newspaper Le Matin. The judge had tried to convince the 44 year-old to make his way to prison […]
Geneva border crossing offers fast lane to those sharing a ride
Cars with more than one person in them crossing into Geneva via the customs post at Thônex-Vallard now have a lane reserved for them, according to the newspaper Tribune de Genève. A special lane, reserved for cars carrying multiple passengers, is in place from 6:00 to 9:00am and 3:30 to 6:30pm. In the morning the […]
Swiss driving licences might soon store driver data
Discussions around high tech driving licences containing chips have started in Bern, according to the newspaper Tribune de Genève. Recently, national councillor Franz Grüter (UDC/SVP) put forward a motion to have current Swiss driving licences replaced by high tech ones, a motion supported by around 40 other councillors, mainly from his own party. The new […]
Geneva plans to ban polluting vehicles
The canton’s government is working on a plan to ban the most polluting vehicles from the city centre, according to the newspaper Tribune de Genève. The project, accepted by the parliamentary transport commission, could result in a ban on certain vehicles entering the city centre on days of high air pollution. The restrictions would apply […]
What the successful bicycle vote could mean for Swiss cyclists
In 2017, accidents involving cyclists resulted in 4,200 injuries and 40 deaths. A map put together by RTS shows where each of these accidents occurred – red dots are deaths. Per kilometre cyclists are 10 times more likely to die than those in cars. In addition, while the number of vehicle and pedestrian casualties has […]
Swiss to vote on upgrading the status of bikes and bike lanes
This Sunday, Swiss voters get to decide on whether to elevate cycling to the same status as hiking and driving. Currently, Switzerland’s constitution mentions roads and hiking trails, but not cycling lanes, something cyclists would like to see changed. Many cities and communes already have cycle paths, however in many places they are forced to […]
Nearly 250,000 Swiss drivers caught by French speed cameras last year
Many Swiss drivers holidaying in France last year returned home to a nasty surprise among the pile of mail waiting for them. In 2017, 249,236 were caught speeding by French speed cameras. The French government raked in over 1 billion euros from 17 million heavy-footed drivers in 2017, up 2% on 2016, mainly because of […]
