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Speed ​​limit: Greens demand speed limit after push in the Netherlands

2019-11-14T10:43:59.024Z


The Netherlands is the first European country to introduce 100 km / h as top speed on its motorways. The Greens are now calling for Germany to set an example.



After opting for a speed limit of 100 km / h on motorways in the Netherlands, the Greens call on the German government to act. You want to limit the pace in this country too. "Germany is the only industrialized country in which you can race without limits," said faction leader Anton Hofreiter the "New Osnabrück newspaper."

According to the Greens, it is high time for the CDU and CSU in particular to "break away from their surviving tempo dogma" and to introduce a safety speed of 130 kilometers per hour on the German motorways. Otherwise, "the federal government brocks people completely unnecessary health costs, climate damage and congestion." Hofreiter party colleague Cem Özdemir, who chairs the transport committee of the Bundestag, agreed. A speed limit is "not only climate protection for free, but would also make our roads much safer."

An attempt by the Greens to introduce a general speed limit on German motorways had failed in mid-October in the Bundestag. He proposed to ask the federal government to introduce a speed limit on motorways of 130 kilometers per hour - on 1 January 2020.

Dutch Prime Minister calls speed limit "crappy"

Reason for the renewed advance of the Greens is the speed limit decided yesterday in the Netherlands. There will be in the future on motorways during the day between 6 and 19 o'clock 100 speed. There should be exceptions at night. But only for those sections of the motorway on which maximum speed 130 was allowed during the day.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte justified the move as the only way to control air pollution in the country. "This is a crisis for our country and for the government of unprecedented proportions," he said of the persistently high emissions.

The speed limit is indeed a "shitty measure", but in view of the necessary reduction in the emission of nitrogen oxides, however, inevitable, said Rutte. "Nobody likes that, but it's really about higher interests". Ruttes right-wing liberal party VVD had a few years ago significantly made sure that in many places, the Dutch highway speed limit was increased from 120 to 130.

Construction stopped because of air pollution

Rutte pointed out that compliance with nitrogen oxide limits is particularly difficult for the Netherlands. The causes include, according to experts, that the Netherlands is the most densely populated state in the EU after the island republic of Malta, and has few natural compensation areas or larger nature reserves where nitric oxide is mined.

The highest court in the Netherlands, the Raad van State, had even halted major construction projects in May, given the high level of air pollution, and offered the government the choice of taking more effective measures to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions or cancel these projects - including thousands of homes, but also infrastructure like the extension of highways. During construction, too, nitrogen is released, for example by the excavation of the earth.

The Dutch traffic club ANBW - a partner organization of the German ADAC - described the introduction of Tempo 100 as getting used to. However, 51 percent of respondents to ANBW survey polls described the measure to protect nature as positive - compared to 34 percent who rejected 100.

Start of the speed limit still unclear

The Dutch daily de Volkskrant comments on the measure as a straightforward step: "Prime Minister Mark Rutte called Tempo 100 terrible as if a national catastrophe had just happened, but a lower speed is better for the environment, security and traffic flow." "Drivers would now be expected to make a contribution to solving collective problems. "That alone is a win."

From when the new limit in the Netherlands should apply, is still unclear. The Minister for Infrastructure, Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, wants to present a concrete plan by the end of December.

Source: spiegel

All tech articles on 2019-11-14

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