ÖVP city councillor rages

Graz traffic plans: “Harassment for commuters”

Excitement after the "Krone" reports - also about traffic calming on Griesplatz.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Christian Jauschowetz)

ÖVP city councillor Günter Riegler is mobilizing against the Graz mobility plan: the new traffic concept puts thousands of jobs at risk and endangers the economy. Moreover, there can be no question of broad involvement, the city's blacks only learned of the plans from the "Krone".

The Graz Mobility Plan 2040 (MP2040) unveiled by the "Krone" shortly before the regional elections in November continues to make waves. After the city's ÖVP party had already brought the issue to Graz City Council last week as an "urgent" matter and called for a referendum, the Black Party followed suit. They criticized the selection of the Viennese institute commissioned by the Green Deputy Mayor Judith Schwentner, which was in charge of developing the new traffic concept. The head of the institute had already produced expert reports throughout Austria in favor of the Green Party.

City Councillor for Economic Affairs Günter Riegler (ÖVP) is mobilizing against the MP2040.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian/Christian Jauschowetz)

Now Graz City Councillor for Economic Affairs Günter Riegler is also taking a sharp shot at the Greens via the "Krone" newspaper: "If this plan is implemented, it would be a disaster for Graz's city center economy. Schwentner wants to de facto close off the city center."

(Bild: zVg)

The ÖVP politician is angry that livelihoods and thousands of jobs are being deliberately put at risk. "This would also be harassment for commuters who have their workplace in Graz. Before we think about new measures to reduce car traffic, we need to massively expand public transport." Anything else would be anti-business.

ÖVP only found out about plans from the "Krone" newspaper
Riegler also addresses the issue of "transparency in the concept development": "Because the deputy mayor always claims that she involved everyone: The ÖVP, after all the second strongest party in Graz, only found out about her plans from the 'Krone' - and we will never agree to them."

Schwentner's coalition colleague and mayor Elke Kahr (KPÖ) was also surprisingly clear: "The working paper certainly still needs to be revised. Nothing is being rushed through." From the point of view of the Communists, projects that have been planned for some time and where the population is rightly waiting for implementation should be prioritized. In this regard, Kahrt refers to the redesign of Griesplatz or measures in the districts, for example.

According to Kahr, compensation measures should also be considered for measures that affect motorized private transport - such as the resident parking already introduced in two inner city areas or an expansion of parking space management and P&R services. Reading between the lines, there is a clear edge against the visions of the Green coalition partner.

The Mayor of Graz, Elke Kahr (KPÖ).

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

"Measures that are accepted by as many people as possible"
In residential areas, it makes sense to further develop the tried and tested 30 km/h model with instruments of "differentiated traffic calming". However, according to the head of the city, the idea is not to throw the baby out with the bathwater and basically shut out car traffic and shovel it into already busy main traffic routes. "It's about tailor-made measures that are accepted by as many people as possible and do not create one-sided privileges."