In response to an enquiry from the "Bürgeranwalt" editorial team, the Office of the Upper Austrian Provincial Government referred to a statement already submitted to the Austrian Ombudsman Board: According to this statement, police checks were carried out in July, August and September 2019, June 2021, May, June and July 2022, January 2023 and February and March 2024. Heavy goods vehicles only accounted for 2.3 per cent of the checks, which is why the ban on vehicles over 5 tonnes could not have been upheld. The mayor of the municipality stated that the municipality was very interested in drawing up a traffic concept. The traffic concept is to be presented shortly.
In the programme, Ombudswoman Gaby Schwarz showed little understanding as to why the dangerous situation is not being defused in order to increase safety for local residents. It is the understandable wish of all those affected that a driving ban of 5 tonnes be imposed again so that through traffic no longer uses the municipal road through the settlement but the provincial road. The Ombudsman Board will receive reports on the further progress and the traffic concept.
Enquiry: Car tuning scene in the Vienna-Oberlaa recreation area
In July 2022, the Austrian Ombudsman Board reported in the "Citizens' Advocate" programme that in the Vienna-Oberlaa recreational area, tuning and roadrunner car hooligans were holding acceleration races and honking concerts with tyre screeching in the residential area, causing residents to feel harassed and endangered. The Ombudsman responsible at the time, Dr Walter Rosenkranz, called for traffic restrictions and more police checks. Initial measures were taken after the programme. However, the residents affected did not consider the problems to have been solved.
In the meantime, further measures have been taken to calm the traffic: parking bays have been closed, 30 km/h zones have been extended and lanes have been narrowed. The police carried out planned squares and used mobile radar equipment. According to a police spokesperson, the situation has "noticeably improved" as a result. A ban on night-time driving, which has also been called for, is still awaited, but also entails considerable restrictions for neighbouring residents and business traffic.
As Ombudswoman Gaby Schwarz noted, the legal situation has also changed and vehicles can now even be confiscated in the event of blatant speeding offences. Exceptions to the night-time driving ban could also be considered for neighbouring residents and hotel businesses. "So there is still room for improvement here," says the Ombudswoman.
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