Life is made easier for cyclists. In the future, they may drive side by side and turn right at a red light. Road traffic regulations will thus be brought into the 21st century, said Infrastructure Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) ahead of Wednesday evening’s decision in the National Council. The SPÖ and the PVV rejected the proposal.
Gewessler remembered the goal of doubling bicycle traffic. The change will give Austria a better quality of life.
The most important changes for cyclists:
- At a red traffic light you can turn right
With the amendment to the law, cyclists are allowed to turn right at a red traffic light, but only if an extra sign has been installed. In addition, in the future cyclists will be allowed to ride next to each other in Tempo 30 zones, besides a child under twelve it is possible everywhere. The change also defines for the first time the minimum safety distance when overtaking cyclists: outside built-up areas it must be at least two meters and within built-up areas 1.5 meters.
- Slope parking ban for motorists on sidewalks or bicycle paths
The law also prohibits diagonal parking for motorists on sidewalks or bicycle paths. However, the vehicle should still be able to protrude slightly from the pavement – for example with a side mirror or the bumper. 1.5 meters of sidewalk must remain free.
- Temporary driving ban for schools
Temporary driving bans can be imposed on schools. To this end, the bill provides for a far-reaching ban on driving along trams that are at the bus stop. You can only pass on the right when the doors are already closed and then only at walking pace. In addition, pedestrians should always have right of way on sidewalks and traffic lights should have a faster and longer green phase.
An amendment to the driving license law was unanimously decided. In addition to the costs for medical reports, persons with a restricted driving license currently have to pay the procedure costs of 49.50 euros per renewal of the driving license. This will no longer apply in the future.
For liberal traffic spokesman Christian Hafenecker, it is a package that Gewessler has put together “for her Bobo friends”. In addition, several projects have been withdrawn. What remains is “more mau than slant”.
“Measures not feasible”
The second traditionally driver-friendly faction also said no to the amendment. SPÖ mandatary Klaus Köchl said that one had to go back to the beginning and referred to objections from the cities of Vienna in particular, according to which the measures were not feasible and led to high costs.
This surprised the coalition, as several objections from the assessment had been taken into account. Vehicles parked on a slope can now protrude a bit on the sidewalk and cycling against the one-way street has been reduced.
‘The SPÖ is only concerned with frontal opposition’
Green traffic spokesman Hermann Weratschnig pointed out that Vienna’s concerns have been taken seriously and that the current proposal has been agreed with the association of cities. Traffic spokesman Andreas Ottenschläger of the VP saw indications that the SPÖ was only dealing with frontal opposition. On the part of NEOS, her MP Johannes Margreiter was pleased that the car-heavy character of the StVO was being counteracted.
Source: Krone
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