For speed 30 zones, the procedure should be simplified

In order to facilitate the arrangement of 30 km/h zones in residential areas, the Federal Council is proposing an amendment to the signalization ordinance and the ordinance of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (Uvek) on 30 km/h zones.

Expert opinions no longer necessary

In general, the speed limit on roads in built-up areas is 50 km/h. To deviate from this, for example to set up a 30 km/h zone, an expert opinion is currently required. The Federal Council is now proposing that the expert opinion can be dispensed with for the establishment of 30 km/h zones on settlement-oriented roads.

Today, 30 km/h zones can only be imposed to reduce particular dangers in road traffic, to reduce excessive environmental pollution or to improve traffic flow. In the future, like other traffic regulations and restrictions, they will also be able to be established for other reasons related to local conditions.

The order of a speed 30 zone should still have to be decreed and published, as it says in the media release. According to the Federal Council, the speed limit of 50 km/h in built-up areas should continue to apply on traffic-oriented roads and the current conditions for speed reductions should be maintained. This will ensure that the functions of the superordinate traffic network are not endangered and that traffic remains on this superordinate network.

Symbol for carpooling (Carpooling)

The Federal Council also wants to introduce carpooling: To reduce traffic congestion and environmental pollution, the formation of car pools (carpooling) is desirable, it says. These can be promoted by granting them special rights, for example through the exclusive use of lanes by vehicles with several occupants, as Federal Berne emphasizes. A new "carpooling" symbol should therefore be included in the signalization ordinance. The symbol shows a car with several occupants.

The symbol should be able to be added to the general driving prohibition, the driving prohibition for motor vehicles or the signal "bus lane" on an additional panel. The additional panel would exempt carpools from the signalized restriction. The new signalization should be able to be applied by the responsible authorities to individual lanes, but also to the entire roadway. The new symbol is also to be applied as a marking on the ground in bus lanes. This would allow carpools to use the bus lane.

Source: Confederation

The consultation on the amendments to the signalization ordinance and the Uvek ordinance on speed 30 zones will last until February 25, 2022.