Austrian towns and cities have more freedom to set 30 km/h limits from 1 July

Municipalities and cities will be able to implement speed reductions more easily in the future in Austria.  The legal changes are scheduled to come into force on 1 July.

It was already possible for cities and municipalities to set speed limits in Austria. However, the prerequisite was extensive reports that had to explain the need for speed reduction in a very bureaucratic way. 

The amendment to the road traffic regulations is intended to bring the following change: in the future, the responsible road authority will be able to reduce the maximum permitted speed in local areas and roads with a special need for protection, such as in front of schools, kindergartens, leisure facilities or playgrounds, hospitals or retirement homes. The only requirement: the measure must be suitable for increasing road safety, especially for pedestrians or cyclists.

In general, the process for enforcing speed limits is also being made less bureaucratic.  In the future, communities should be able to carry out radar checks themselves. 

The change has been made following a long campaign by local authorities.  A similar campaign in Germany calling for the same rights, and now signed by 1000 cities and towns, has yet to result in a similar change.