End of the road for large cars?

Polluting, gas-guzzling cars will be banned from Swiss roads if voters approve a proposal by the youth section of the Green Party.

The Young Greens have collected enough signatures to call a nationwide vote on their initiative launched under the name: “For more people-friendly vehicles”.

About 50 supporters – walking, cycling and roller skating – accompanied the boxes containing the signatures to the federal chancellery in Bern on Monday, where their validity will be checked.

They waved banners with such slogans as: “I won’t be squashed”, “More room for cyclists”, and “10 litres for 100 kilometres is enough”.

The Young Greens say they found great public enthusiasm for their initiative, which would ban vehicles that produce excessive harmful emissions. It would be up to the government to set the exact limits.

Already registered cars would be exempted, as would agricultural and forestry vehicles.

However, a number of motorists’ organisations have come out strongly against the move, saying that it would drive not only four wheel drive vehicles off the road, but also a number of other large cars.

In the Swiss system of direct democracy, an initiative has to be put to a nation-wide vote if the proposers can collect 100,000 supporting signatures. The Young Greens say they have gathered 150,000.