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Total traffic block in Krems' historic city centre is a grievance

A woman from Krems had complained to the Austrian Ombudsman Board because the volume of traffic in her alleyway had increased significantly since a driving ban was issued in the historic centre of Krems. Since then, there had also been an increase in dangerous encounters between motor vehicles and pedestrians.

As it turned out in the course of the Ombudsman Board's investigation, the regulation of the driving ban was actually incorrectly publicised: § Section 48 of the StVO requires traffic signs to be displayed in such a way that motor vehicle drivers can recognise them "easily and in good time". This did not apply in this case.

The Austrian Ombudsman Board also criticised the de facto total closure of Krems' old town to traffic after just two survey days as excessive and inappropriate. "Even before the Ombudsman Board's investigation had been completed, the flawed ordinance was repealed," reports Ombudswoman Elisabeth Schwetz. "The city of Krems wants to call in an expert to clarify the expediency. Until then, the driving ban ordinance will remain in force," says Schwetz.

Translation was AI-generated

View of the old town centre of Krems View of the old town centre of Krems Picture credits: Wikimedia Commons Bauer Karl