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After the failed signature campaign of the Westring opponents, the Greens, KPÖ, Linz+ and Wandel wanted to strengthen their backs – with a joint municipal council proposal. This should make the referendum on the west ring possible.
But as expected, nothing came of it. In addition to the SPÖ, the ÖVP and FPÖ also rejected the request before yesterday’s meeting. They voted against yesterday, MFG and Neos abstained. So there was no majority.
“Instead of supporting the commitment of civil society and the will of thousands of Linzers to have a say, the exercise of direct democracy was rejected yesterday,” said Helge Langer, chairman of the Linz Greens, criticizing the decision. “The fact that a city also pays for the destruction of its valuable living space is a climate policy declaration of bankruptcy. It is very clear that new motorways are not a solution, but only exacerbate existing problems.”
“Yesterday’s Politics”
The “Future instead of motorway construction” initiative, which held a protest action yesterday parallel to the municipal council meeting, is disappointed with the no from the SPÖ, ÖVP and FPÖ. The tenor: “This is yesterday’s politics for a project from the day before yesterday.”
“The A26 railway station motorway, the second, most expensive and most climate-damaging section of the Westring, is a functional misplanning that allows an additional 30,000 car trips to Linz every day and brings the traffic jam into the middle of the city center. The Westring Tunnel is a bottomless pit that is devouring the funds that we so urgently need for a sensible people and environmentally friendly turnaround in traffic,” says Gertraud Walli, one of the activists.
They don’t want to give up: On the one hand, the further strategy is to be discussed at an action conference on May 31st. On the other hand, an appeal was lodged against the decision of the magistrate.
As a reminder: The initiative collected more than 10,000 signatures for a referendum on the Westring exit. But the magistrate only accepted around 4800 of them. However, 6100 signatures would have been necessary to reach a survey. Subsequent submission of the missing signatures is not possible, the magistrate said with reference to the applicable statute. If the activists have their way, the west ring construction should be over after the bridge is completed.
Source: Nachrichten
