The Swiss parliament does not want to introduce tolls for busy motorway tunnels such as the Gotthard Road Tunnel.
On Wednesday it rejected a motion that called for a toll, but it demanded that Swiss motorists be compensated for the costs.
The motion had called for a charge for vehicles with a total weight of up to 3.5 tonnes in heavily used motorway tunnels and focused in particular on tourists on the north-south axis. It is now off the table.
According to the motion’s sponsor, Marco Chiesa from canton Ticino, the required regulations should not have placed an additional burden on the Swiss population. The situation at the Gotthard had become intolerable, especially during the holiday season, Chiesa said. Car journeys to the south and north had become a test of endurance for Ticino and canton Uri.
What’s more, tourists do not leave a cent behind on the road, and the motorway sticker is dirt cheap, he said, pointing out that neighbouring countries are also raising tunnel tolls in addition to the motorway toll.
The government also proposed the motion be rejected. It did not want to anticipate a report on the subject that the House of Representatives had ordered. This paper deals with the alternative traffic that rolls through the villages when cars are jammed on the motorway. The report will be available in the first half of 2024, said Transport Minister Albert Rösti.