New figures

Despite resistance: Styrian air 100 remains!

Styrian Environment Minister Ursula Lackner (SPÖ) remains on course for a speed limit of 100 km/h.

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz, Jürgen Radspieler)

In Styria, everything remains the same when it comes to the particulate matter 100. Despite better air quality, Environment Minister Ursula Lackner is not considering relaxing the speed limit on freeways. This is justified by a new study. However: in future, the brakes will have to be applied less often on one stretch of road.

Political wrangling is inevitable: Styrian Environment Minister Ursula Lackner (SPÖ) announced on Monday that the air 100 limit will remain in place on Styrian freeways until further notice. This is despite a significant improvement in air quality and ever-increasing pressure from political rivals (above all the FPÖ) and commuters' representatives. 

Better air quality as an "achievement"
Lackner justifies her iron-fisted stance with the results of a freshly printed TU study, which explains the necessity of the speed brake on 155 pages: "15 years ago, Graz still bore the inglorious title of 'fine dust stronghold'. Now we can see that our consistent measures are having an effect. This is an achievement that we must not jeopardize lightly!"

The curve is finally moving consistently in the right direction.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, stock.adobe.com)

The so-called IG-Luft-100 was introduced in Styria 20 years ago. The speed limit applies flexibly in the event of poor air quality or high traffic volumes.

Comparison with Salzburg is flawed
After this measure to reduce particulate matter was abolished in Salzburg last year, the discussion about its necessity also picked up speed again in this country. The University of Graz was therefore commissioned to draw up an expert report to assess the impact of the speed limit on air quality according to scientific parameters.

Provincial Councillor Ursula Lackner and Thomas Pongratz, Head of the Air Pollution Control Department, presented the TU study on Monday.

(Bild: Land Stmk./Christoph Purgstaller)

Thomas Pongratz, Head of the Air Pollution Control Department at the province, explains the difference between the two provinces: "The dispersion potential of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides is simply different in Salzburg than in the Graz Basin and the Leibnitzer Feld. In addition, the values in Salzburg were taken at various measuring points. In Styria, the measurements were taken at 100-metre-long corridors to the right and left of the freeways."

Mixed results
This would have shown that the limit values are still not being consistently adhered to. "There is still room for improvement," says the expert.

Overall, the IG-L speed limits in Styria are divided into four sub-corridors.

• East stretches from Graz to Sinabelkirchen.
• West from Graz to Lieboch.
• North from Graz to the Gratkorn Tunnel North.
• South from Graz to Leibnitz.

The entire study by Graz University of Technology comprises 155 pages and, according to the province of Styria, will be available to view online in the coming days.

Incidentally, there was also an increase in traffic compared to the last evaluation period in 2022: "In the eastern sub-corridor, the frequency increased by six percent, in the southern sub-corridor by four percent and in the western sub-corridor by around three percent," the study states.

Stricter limits from 2030
"The overall package is having an effect. In order not to endanger the health of Styrians, the expansion of public transport and the replacement of heating systems, for example, will continue to be driven forward - but the particulate matter 100 limit must also remain in place," Lackner explained.

This is also necessary in view of the introduction of much stricter limits by the EU. "The evaluations of the data from the Styrian measuring points show that even taking into account lower emissions, the expected limit values from 2030 cannot be met without additional measures to reduce emissions," said Pongratz.

A9 as a positive outlier
There is at least one ray of hope for high-speed drivers: On the southern corridor - in other words, on the A9 between Graz and Spielfeld - the air 100 will appear less frequently from now on due to the improved air quality.

FPÖ fumes
Criticism of the continuation of the tried and tested course was not long in coming: "This is primarily a case of driver harassment based on climate alarmism. In our opinion, in view of the significantly better air quality values, there would have been a lot to be said for abolishing it quickly," was the first thing Styrian FPÖ party leader Mario Kunasek said in a press release.