The latest survey results conducted by the GfS Bern research institute on behalf of SRF television suggest that the expansion of national roads has become uncertain. The majority of Swiss do not support the phased development of highways to six lanes. Consequently, Transport Minister Albert Rösti (SVP) may face a severe defeat in the November 24 votes, as analyzed by several media outlets.
Simply put: although I hear the message, I lack conviction. Over the past 24 years, the number of motor vehicles in Switzerland has risen from 4.5 million to 6.5 million, excluding motorcycles. On average, there are 540 passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants. Every second person in the country owns a car and is familiar with the problems caused by traffic congestion. We simply cannot afford to halt the development of highways. This would significantly weaken and make our economic situation vulnerable. One would have to be reckless to believe that railways could easily take over part of the road traffic in the future. The railway lines between Lausanne and Geneva, as well as Zurich and Bern, are already operating at full capacity. Every morning, there is a struggle for seats on the trains. There is a need to expand highways on these key routes, as they are the main arteries of our country, and the overloaded public transport must be relieved. Transport Minister Albert Rösti must win this vote. Any other outcome would be unacceptable because rejecting the proposal would lead to transportation chaos.
