Swiss Federal Council Aims to Promote Traffic Space for Slow Traffic

The transport of goods using electric small vehicles and so-called cargo bikes is booming. This leads to increased demand for road space in urban areas. According to the Federal Council, the traffic space in these areas should be utilized more in favor of slow traffic in the future. This is stated in a report that the Federal Council acknowledged at its meeting on December 10, 2021, in fulfillment of the postulates 18.4291 (Burkart) and 15.4038 (Candinas). The principles for further action are outlined in it.

(Bern) In cities and agglomerations, an increasing number of different vehicles are using the same traffic areas. This raises the risk of accidents. Due to initiatives from Parliament, the Federal Council has analyzed how to better utilize the limited traffic spaces and how to improve the coexistence of road users. The corresponding report is now available.

Goals of the Federal Council

The Federal Council is guided by the following three goals for further work:

• Sustainability: The Federal Council recognizes the growing importance of emission-free, smaller, and slower vehicles. They contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and better utilizing limited traffic spaces.
• Safety: The Federal Council aims to increase traffic safety, especially for slow traffic. Therefore, the limited traffic space in urban areas should be utilized more in favor of slow traffic during the construction and planning of traffic infrastructures.
• Simple and understandable regulations: For the categorization of vehicles and the regulations for their use, the Federal Council aims for simple and future-proof solutions.

The Federal Council proposes the following new regulations based on this:

• The sidewalk should generally remain reserved for pedestrians. Exceptions are, as before, scooters, roller skates, and other devices that do not have an electric drive.
• Bicycle traffic areas should allow bicycles, e-bikes with pedal assistance, and purely electrically powered vehicles. Legally, this category consists of small vehicles that can be driven without a driver’s license and weigh a maximum of 250 kg (currently 200 kg), are at most 1 m wide, and travel at a maximum speed of 25 km/h. There is an exception for fast e-bikes. E-bikes with pedal assistance up to 45 km/h may use both bicycle areas and the road.
• Electric vehicles weighing a maximum of 450 kg (with driver’s license category M or F) may also travel on bicycle traffic areas at a maximum speed of 25 km/h.
• People with walking disabilities and the elderly should continue to be allowed to ride suitable motor bicycles without a driver’s license.
• As before, electric small vehicles must be equipped with at least a steering or stopping bar and have two independent brakes. Vehicles that do not meet these requirements will remain excluded from using public space as before.

Next Steps

The UVEK will specify the regulatory concept based on these principles, review the effectiveness of operational and organizational measures, and develop a revision of road traffic law based on that.
 

Statement from Astag (Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association):

Promoting slow traffic is an important contribution to achieving as emission-free mobility as possible. However, for the Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association ASTAG, traffic safety is also the top priority. Therefore, the Federal Council’s proposal that fast e-bikes and cargo bikes may operate on roads is heading in the wrong direction. What is crucial is a high-performance road infrastructure and physically separated lanes.

(Bern) The Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association ASTAG takes note of the Federal Council’s decision on slow traffic with concern. While it is fundamentally correct to promote emission-free means of transport such as bicycles, cargo bikes, and electric small vehicles, traffic safety must continue to be the top priority – for all modes of transport. ASTAG is happy and unreservedly committed to all measures that effectively lead to greater environmental or climate compatibility and fewer accidents. “In addition to decreasing CO2 emissions, the road transport industry is already very safe today,” emphasizes ASTAG President and Senator Thierry Burkart: “The number of accidents involving heavy commercial vehicles has been declining for years.”

High-Performance Infrastructure for City Logistics

However, a high-performance traffic infrastructure is a prerequisite. The more congestion and stagnant traffic flow there is due to insufficient capacity, the higher the fuel consumption and, proportionally, the CO2 emissions. Traffic safety also critically depends on the ability of vehicles traveling at different speeds to operate as separately as possible on their own areas. Therefore, separate lanes should be created for slow traffic whenever possible. However, the corresponding structural measures must not lead to a restriction of capacities at the expense of motorized individual traffic, freight traffic, and bus traffic (coaches, public transport). Especially in city logistics, which is systemically relevant for the economy and businesses in cities and agglomerations, an efficient, needs-based, and safe road infrastructure is still required – without additional obstacles, risks, and dangers.

The Federal Council’s proposal to prioritize the use of traffic space in cities for slow traffic is therefore the wrong approach. In particular, the proposed possibility that motor bicycles may continue to use bicycle traffic areas (but no longer must!) poses an enormous risk potential. Fast e-bikes and cargo bikes are not suitable for shared use of roads alongside motorized individual traffic and freight traffic. “In this respect, the upcoming consultation draft from the Federal Council must be improved,” says Thierry Burkart.

Detailed Report from the Federal Council:

https://www.newsd.admin.ch/newsd/message/attachments/69506.pdf

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