Austria eyes motorway speed increase amid environmental concerns
Austria is following in the footsteps of the Netherlands and the Czech Republic and is considering increasing the speed limit on selected motorway sections to 95 mph. This decision is causing controversy among experts and environmental organisations.
What do you need to know?
- Austria plans to raise the speed limit on selected motorway sections to 95 mph. The change is set to apply to routes in Lower and Upper Austria.
- Environmental organisations warn of negative impacts. The Austrian Transport Club (VCÖ) predicts a 19% increase in CO2 emissions and braking distances.
- The increase in the speed limit is part of a broader transport policy. Historically, the FPÖ has advocated for enhanced individual mobility.
Why does Austria want to increase the speed limit?
According to the Austrian service heute, Austria plans to raise the speed limit on selected motorway sections. The change is expected to apply to routes in Lower Austria between Melk and Oed and Upper Austria between the Haid junction and Sattledt.
Is this the first time Austria has tested higher limits?
This is not the first time Austria has tested higher speed limits. In 2018, the then FPÖ transport minister, Norbert Hofer introduced a test phase allowing a speed limit of 87 mph on two sections of the A1 motorway. The aim was to assess whether higher speeds could improve traffic flow without significantly compromising safety and environmental standards. However, in 2020, the original limit of 81 mph was reinstated.
Increasing the speed limit is part of a broader strategy to improve traffic flow on Austrian roads. Similar changes occurred in the Netherlands, where the 81 mph limit was reinstated on selected road sections after being reduced in 2020. Meanwhile, in the Czech Republic, the speed limit on certain sections was raised to 95 mph.
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