Car -free city center in St. Pölten: Citizens' decisions required!

Car -free city center in St. Pölten: Citizens' decisions required!

St. Pölten, Österreich - The plans for traffic calming in Austrian cities take forms. Transport Minister Peter Hanke (SPÖ) announced a amendment to the law that is intended to enable camera -based access management in city centers. The aim of these measures is traffic calming and an access-controlled passage in specially defined zones. St. Pölten and Krems in particular show interest in the introduction of such automated entry restrictions. Hanke emphasizes that it is not a harassment, but an efficient traffic control.

In order to achieve this objective, St. Pölten plans to expand its pedestrian zones and the monitoring of driveways into traffic -calmed areas. The system will record license plates to provide beneficiaries such as residents and suppliers. The Vice Mayor of St. Pölten, Harald Ludwig, underlines the need for these measures for better traffic control.

political discussions and citizen participation

The FPÖ speaks out against the planned car -free city centers. City councilor Klaus Otzelberger (St. Pölten) is concerned about falling customer frequencies and calls for a citizen survey before implementation. Krems' Mayor Peter Molnar (SPÖ), on the other hand, sees the advantages of a controlled access, but rejects a complete car -free city. In Wiener Neustadt there is currently no need for additional traffic monitoring, while plans still need to be developed in Korneuburg and Baden.

A list of cities that are interested in such measures was published and includes Graz, Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. According to a novella of the road traffic regulations (StVO), which is due to enter into force on January 1, 2026, the legal framework for automated access management is created. The implementation of these measures is expected to take two years, since a Europe -wide tender must take place after the amendment comes into force.

expert opinions and economic context

experts like Bernd Wiesinger from the ÖAMTC commented critically on traffic calming, while traffic planner Günter Emberger from the Vienna University of Technology considers plans to be overdue. He notes that in other cities such as Paris after the introduction of traffic calms, a significant reduction in traffic was recorded by up to 50 percent. The Mayor of Vienna Michael Ludwig and Minister Hanke also praise the designs to create a traffic -calmed city center.

The economic view shows that the plans for traffic calming should benefit both the residents and the companies. Chamber of Commerce President Walter Ruck emphasizes that improving the quality of stay and accessibility for companies could be of great benefit. However, opposition parties such as the ÖVP and the FPÖ express concerns about the potential negative effects on the economy, especially for older people.

Overall, it remains to be seen how the discussion about the traffic calming measures will be in the coming months and how the voices from the population and the economy will flow into political decision -making.