The Alpine Initiative was adopted 30 years ago
Published: Sunday, Feb 18th 2024, 06:40
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Thirty years ago, the Swiss electorate surprisingly said yes to the Alpine Initiative, thereby changing transport policy. Since then, the authors of the initiative have focused on measures to combat climate change and are also fighting against highway expansion.
The article on the protection of the Alps, which was approved by voters on February 20, 1994, requires that the Alpine region be protected from transit traffic. The law stipulates that two years after the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel - i.e. from 2018 - only 650,000 trucks per year will cross the Alps. However, this target is still not being met.
Around 880,000 truck journeys through the Alps were still registered in 2022. Rail's market share of freight traffic through the Alps remained stable at a high level: it amounted to around 74%. The completion of the NRLA and the corridor for transports with a corner height of four meters on the Gotthard axis in 2020 gave a boost to the shift of freight to rail.
Further measures necessary
According to the Federal Council, various factors such as the difficult economic situation in Europe, the numerous construction sites on the rail network and the delays to many trains are currently hampering the modal shift. Further measures are therefore needed.
At the end of November 2023, the Federal Council decided to increase the performance-related heavy vehicle charge (HVC) from the beginning of 2025. In addition, shorter rail transports are to be promoted and traction current prices are not to be increased. This is because, according to the Federal Council, transporting goods by rail within Switzerland hardly covers the costs any more.
In January, the government also adopted the dispatch on the total revision of the Freight Transport Act for the attention of parliament, which provides for greater state funding. The Federal Council intends to use the public funds to bridge the gap until the digitalization of rail freight transport has progressed.
However, the Alpine Initiative considers it a clear success that fewer trucks are driving through the Swiss Alps than before the initiative was adopted. From 1980 to 2001, the number of truck journeys increased from very few to up to 1.4 million per year.
Against highway expansion
With a three-phase plan, the Alpine Initiative wants to achieve climate-neutral freight transport in Switzerland by 2035. This is to be achieved through CO2 targets for new car fleets, a ban on free returns of e-commerce parcels, logistics bundling centers and a further shift of freight transport to rail.
According to the Alpine Initiative, it also wants to remain vigilant with regard to the second tube of the Gotthard road tunnel, which has been under construction since 2020. The new tunnel should only be used for renovation and safety and not to increase capacity, as the Federal Council promised before the referendum.
The Alpine Initiative is also fighting the expansion of the highway network. Together with other environmental organizations, it submitted a referendum against the expansion of Swiss freeways in mid-January.
©Keystone/SDA
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