Three years ago, the “Zentrum fir urban Gerechtegkeet” (ZUG) published its analysis on the safety of pedestrian crossings in the capital. With the judgment of the administrative court, there is now a new chapter in the dispute between the ZUG and the Council of Aldermen.
The ZUG then noted 475 dangerous pedestrian crossings, out of a total of 1,787 in the territory of the City of Luxembourg. During its own investigation, the municipality retained 37 which did not comply with highway code legislation. According to the latter, parking spaces cannot be located less than five meters from a pedestrian crossing. Indeed, if vehicles are parked too close to a pedestrian crossing, the visibility of a passing motorist is reduced and he or she does not notice the pedestrian until very late or, in the worst case, not at all. However, this safety defect would be quickly corrected by designing parking spaces in accordance with the law, argues the collective.
The ZUG wanted to consult the analysis of the City of Luxembourg. But this has always been refused. In 2022, the Commission for Access to Documents (CAD) was mandated and made it known that the documents of the City of Luxembourg were communicable. But the ZUG has still not received the documents. It was therefore decided to bring the matter before the administrative court.
“Victory for transparency”
On November 11 this year, the court issued its judgment. The court held that the administration could not withhold unfounded information. The argument that these were internal documents was not sufficient.
“This decision is a victory for transparency, accountability and the fundamental right to public safety,” Federico Gentile of the ZUG was quoted as saying in a statement. It is now hoped that the city of Luxembourg will follow the judgment and hand over the documents “without delay”. The judgment, of which Luxembourg word has become aware, further establishes that the documents in question can be consulted in the municipality, this in the presence of one or more employees of the City of Luxembourg, and that the duration of viewing is limited to eight hours, unless the two parties agree on another formula.
A first political reaction took place on Wednesday morning on the opposition benches. Déi Gréng called in a press release on the aldermanic council to “accept the judgment, not to appeal, to demonstrate transparency and to publish the documents”. In addition, the group has established a motion on this subject for the next municipal council meeting on November 18.
When questioned, Mayor Lydie Polfer (DP) declared that a meeting had been set with the lawyer for the City of Luxembourg and that they would discuss the judgment and the next steps together. A position statement is planned for this Thursday. The City of Luxembourg has until December 23 to appeal.
This article was originally published on the website of Luxembourg word.
Adaptation: Mélodie Mouzon
