30 km/h continues to be debated in the canton of Geneva. The right-wing majority of the Grand Council, opposed to a generalization of this speed limit, demanded on Friday evening a modification of the law on coherent and balanced mobility (LMCE).
Presented at the start of 2022, the Council of State’s plan against road noise initially provided for a limitation of 30 km/h on nearly 300 axes, some day and night, others only at night.
Around twenty axes were then exempted following an agreement last fall between the Department of Mobility and several road lobby associations, which had appealed against the initial project. However, other appeals remain pending, delaying the entry into force.
On the political level, the right-wing parties wish to review this LMCE which, according to them, lacks “coherence”. The majority rapporteur, PLR Pascal Uehlinger, explained Friday evening that this modification of the law aimed in particular not to “dogmatically” establish 30 km/h in certain areas, where sections could thus remain at 50 km/h.
Several members of the left strongly opposed these modifications, citing “a disguised remedy” or even an “unraveling” of the strategy against road noise. The socialist Matthieu Jotterand notably criticized “the obsession of the right to defend 50 km/h, as if it were a vital interest”, while 120,000 Genevans suffer a noise level which exceeds federal standards, -he explained.
“From another age”
State Councilor Pierre Maudet, who took up a file initiated by his predecessor Serge dal Busco, also opposed the right-wing bill, coming according to him “from another age”. It “rigidifies everything” by not allowing, for example, to adapt the speed according to the time of day, he argued.
In the vote, the right-wing majority won, the entry into the matter having been accepted by 49 deputies, against 42 refusals. Pierre Maudet, however, refused to request the third debate, thus postponing the final vote.
Several other objects linked to 30 km/h then passed into the hands of the Grand Council. A new bill supported by the UDC and the MCG, wishing to fight “against crazy and unbalanced mobility”, was presented in order to largely limit the use of 30 km/h.
This time, the PLR did not follow a project deemed “excessive” and the proposals of the UDC and the MCG were largely rejected by 63 deputies, against 28 votes in favor.
This article was automatically published. Source: ats
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