ASTAG finds latest Swiss traffic congestion statistics alarming

For the Swiss commercial vehicle association ASTAG, the latest traffic congestion statistics from the federal government are extremely alarming. The figures are at an all-time high, threatening a standstill on the national road network. As a result, the transport industry must once again endure enormous productivity losses – through no fault of its own! The transport policy is called upon to vigorously advance the necessary modernization of the road infrastructure.

The Swiss commercial vehicle association ASTAG considers the latest traffic congestion figures published today by the Federal Roads Office ASTRA to be a clear warning signal – and at the same time a guide for the urgently needed expansion of the road infrastructure. It is absolutely shocking and alarming that in 2022, a nationwide total of 39,863 hours of traffic congestion resulted in yet another negative record. Although the growth rate of 22.7 percent is somewhat lower than in 2021, when the increase was even 43.9 percent, the values are hardly comparable due to the previous “normalization” after Corona; furthermore, there is currently a sudden increase that is significantly above the “usual” values of the past. Compared to 2012, the number of congestion hours has simply doubled in just ten years. “Our mobility is increasingly coming to a standstill,” emphasizes ASTAG Central President Thierry Burkart: “Unfortunately, it won’t be long before we reach a complete standstill!”

Productivity losses for transport companies

The goods and passenger transport by road is particularly affected. With around 52,000 units, the vehicle fleet has hardly changed in years. Their mileage on the national road network is also stable. Therefore, heavy traffic cannot statistically be considered the cause of the growing congestion problem. However, the consequences for the industry are devastating. The productivity of transport companies is continuously declining – almost without any possibility of countermeasures. For the same number of loads, more vehicles are needed. Only in this way can timely deliveries and pickups still be possible due to traffic conditions. Scandalously, heavy traffic is still charged more congestion time costs each year – unilaterally, without any fault. The reason lies in a legal basis focused exclusively on road transport and a corresponding calculation method of the Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE.

Prosperity and growth are based on mobility and logistics

In transport policy, the latest congestion statistics should also lead to more realism. Prosperity and growth are based on mobility and logistics, and this, in turn, requires a high-performance, demand-oriented infrastructure – both for roads and for railways. In this respect, it is completely misguided and shows pure ideology when the plans of the Federal Council for the expansion and modernization of the national road network are criticized. “It is high time to create the necessary capacities,” says Thierry Burkart: “We must ensure that supply and disposal in our country continue to function smoothly, reliably, and on time!”
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