With voters having rejected the expansion of the motorway network in Switzerland, a new proposal has been submitted to try and ease traffic on the country’s roads. The plans would see the maximum speed limit on motorways reduced to 100 kilometres an hour.

Switzerland beset with traffic jams

Under the proposal, submitted in Bern by Green Party National Councillor Raphaël Mahaim, the maximum speed limit on roads in Switzerland would be cut from 120 to 100 km / h. On sections which are known to be hotspots for traffic jams - such as around major Swiss cities like Zurich, Basel and Bern - the limit would be reduced to 80 km / h.

The plans are in direct response to the rejection of the latest round of motorway expansion. On November 24, 52,7 percent of voters rejected plans to spend 5 billion francs on adding lanes and building new tunnels on five sections of the network. With the county experiencing a record 48.000 hours of traffic jams a year, lawmakers have been trying to find a way to reduce jams now that motorway expansion is off the table.

Lower speed limits will become avoidable, Astra argues

Speaking to Le Matin, Mahaim argued that lower speed limits can reduce traffic jams by limiting the flow of cars which pass through overloaded sections of road. Indeed, the Federal Roads Office (Astra) noted that "research results and knowledge of the terrain show that a section of motorway reaches its maximum capacity when vehicles are travelling at a speed of around 85 km / h."

The idea isn’t new: back in October 2023, Astra director Jürg Röthlisberger told the Tages-Anzeiger that the 80 km / h speed limit would become unavoidable in the coming years “to prevent permanent traffic jams.” He argued that limits should be reduced at peak times of day such as before and after work, and during school holidays, public holidays and concerts.

Lower speed limits on Swiss motorways faces uphill battle

Mahaim added that the lower limits would also reduce road accidents and pollution. In fact, Federal Council data shows that if the speed limit was reduced from 120 to 100 km / h, fuel consumption in the alpine nation would be cut by up to 3 percent.

However, the proposal does face major opposition from elements of parliament, especially those within FDP. The Liberals and the Swiss People’s Party. For their part, while driver and other motorist associations in Switzerland have supported lower speed limits in the past, they have only done so when they are temporarily applied.

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