Not a single municipality has applied for radar yet

Slow down: Since July 1, municipalities have been able to impose a 30 km/h speed limit at particularly vulnerable locations such as in front of schools or hospitals and, for the first time, apply to set up their own speed cameras. This nationwide amendment to the law was particularly well received in Upper Austria: 62 mayors and municipalities supported an initiative by the VCÖ traffic club in advance.

However, no local authority has yet stepped on the brakes: "To date, no local authority has made use of the option to request the installation of a speed camera," according to the office of Infrastructure Councillor Günther Steinkellner. No one is likely to have applied for the speed limit with reference to the new law either.

"Already have restrictions"
Why not? "Because where such restrictions are possible, we have already implemented them," answers Rudi Hemetsberger (Greens), Mayor of Attersee, on the "Krone" call. However, his municipality is carrying out measurements at various locations that could lead to speed limits in the future.

Aschach wants to control the town center
Like Hemetsberger, Dietmar Groiss (SP), head of the village of Aschach an der Donau, was one of the supporters of the amendment. "One of the main reasons was to give municipalities the opportunity to control speed with radar devices themselves," says Groiss, "because otherwise I can impose whatever I want." In future, Aschach wants to control the existing 30 km/h speed limit in the town center itself.

The law has limits
According to mayor Franz Gassner (VP), applications for a 30 km/h zone around the school in Waldhausen im Strudengau have so far been rejected, which could change with the new law.

But the amendment has its limits: "We have a lot of commuters due to the software park. For us, it would have been a matter of restricting the busy goods roads," says David Bergsmann (VP), head of the village of Hagenberg im Mühlkreis. "But that's not possible because the ordinance only provides for this around schools and other facilities."

Which roads around playgrounds are difficult to see? At which crossroads do primary school children run back and forth to school? In front of which nursing home do cars turn the corner too quickly?

This is best recognized by those who are close by, who see danger zones themselves or are contacted by residents: the municipalities. They can see where the shoe - or rather the lead foot - is on the gas pedal. Giving local authorities the option of making it easier to impose a 30 km/h speed limit makes perfect sense.

But it remains to be seen whether it is also practicable. There are no examples of this yet.

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