In the future, municipalities and cities will be able to more easily implement – and monitor – speed reductions to 30 km/h. This is intended to be made possible by an amendment to the Road Traffic Ordinance (StVO), which will be submitted to the National Council on Thursday via an initiative proposal. The Ministry of Transport said it is scheduled to come into force on July 1st.
After a six-week assessment, the final technical adaptations were made to the draft amendment. It has already been possible for cities and municipalities to set speed limits. However, the prerequisite was extensive reports that had to explain the need for speed reduction in a bureaucratic process.
Processes are debureaucratized
The amendment to the road traffic regulations is now intended to bring the following relief: In the future, the responsible road authority can reduce the maximum permitted speed in local areas in areas with a special need for protection, such as in front of schools, kindergartens, leisure facilities or playgrounds, hospitals or retirement homes. According to the ministry, the only requirement is that the measure is suitable for increasing road safety, especially for pedestrians or cyclists.
In general, the process for regulating speed limits is also being made less bureaucratic. These improvements then also help outside areas worthy of protection. In addition, we also strengthen communities in monitoring speed limits. In the future, communities should be able to carry out radar checks themselves. The prerequisite is an appropriate transfer regulation from the state. Previously, communities might only carry out speed cameras if they had their own community security force.
“Sensible solutions”
“I am very pleased that the relief for municipalities and cities to introduce a 30 km/h speed limit is now before Parliament for a resolution. I would like to thank the many municipalities and cities who have actively campaigned for this across Austria and across party lines,” said Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) quoted.
ÖVP traffic spokesman Andreas Ottenschläger emphasized that “the 35th amendment to the StVO does not provide for a general reduction in speed, but rather sensible solutions to increase safety, especially for our children.” In 2023 there were around 15,000 traffic accidents with 80 deaths on Austria’s municipal roads. 63 percent of all traffic accidents occur in the local area, Ottenschläger concluded.
