Swiss voters approve initiative to ‘stop speed camera scams’

The people of Aargau want to make it more difficult to set up speed cameras Keystone-SDA

In a unique case in Switzerland, the canton of Aargau will restrict the use of speed cameras. On Sunday voters clearly approved a popular initiative for an authorisation requirement.

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On Sunday 55.5% of voters in the northern Swiss canton approved the popular initiative “Stop speed camera rip-offs”, the cantonal chancellery said.

The initiative launched by the youth section of the centre-right Racial-Liberal Party anchors a new cantonal authorisation requirement for stationary speed and red light monitoring systems in the Police Act. Semi-stationary installations will be limited in time.

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Parliament, the cantonal government as well as the Radical-Liberals and the right-wing Swiss People’s Party were in favour of the initiative. They argued that clear rules were needed and that the systems would not be banned. Opponents argued it was populist and jeopardised road safety.

The issue is a perennial political hot potato in Aargau. There is only one fixed monitoring system in the canton, at the Gstühl junction in Baden. The voters of Baden rejected the cantonal initiative.

The number of traffic offences has fallen since the municipal speed camera system was installed. The cantonal police rely on unexpected speed checks with a mobile laser measuring device to catch traffic offenders.

Adapted from German by AI/ts

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