Debate over reducing Austria’s speed limits on roads
As The Local reported on Tuesday, a debate is currently underway in Austria over whether to reduce the speed limit on motorways, dual carriages and other roads to reduce the need for Russian oil and gas.
A speed limit of 100 km/h is proposed on motorways and dual carriageways instead of 130 km/h. On open roads this could be reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about driving on the autobahn in Austria
The Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club (ÖAMTC) says the effect would only reduce one to three percent of domestic fuel consumption, based on data from the Vienna University of Technology.
However the environmentalist group GLOBAL 2000 says driving at 100 km/h uses ten percent less fuel than going at 130 km/h, the Kronen Zeitung newspaper reports.
Austria in top three of Covid-19 infections in Europe
More than 300,000 people were infected with the Covid-19 in the past week in Austria – giving the Alpine state one of the highest rates of infection in Europe.
According to data from Johns Hopkins University and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), only Iceland and Liechtenstein had a higher incidence of infections per 100,000 inhabitants in a comparison of 46 European countries.
However, some European countries have low rates of testing in comparison to Austria, broadcaster ORF noted.
The statistics portal “Our World in Data” shows Austria has overtaken France in terms of Covid-19 hospitalisations. Austria had 318 patients per million inhabitants in hospital for Covid-19 on March 14th. Only Latvia with 566 hospitalised patients per million inhabitants, Slovakia (477), Estonia (473) and Bulgaria (460) are ahead of Austria in terms of hospital numbers.
Covid-19: Austria among highest hospitalisation rates in Europe
Criticism of change to quarantine and testing regulations
There has been criticism of proposed changes to Austria’s quarantine and testing rules, with quarantine times being reduced for contacts of infected people who are unvaccinated and tests limited in number from April.
A member of the scientific advisory group GECKO Gerry Foitik said some “decisions” had been made “politically”. The ÖGB trade union described the government’s course as “irresponsible”.
Vienna’s mayor Michael Ludwig, who is in the opposition SPÖ party, also criticised the decisions. Discussions are in place to see if Vienna can lift these measures in line with the rest of Austria.
READ MORE: Free Covid-19 tests to be limited in Austria from April
Vienna unveils energy support package
Vienna will pay 200 euros to households on low incomes to combat energy price increases. The rise in fuel prices means on average people in the capital are paying an extra 500 euros for energy. The payments will go to recipients of housing assistance, the unemployed, people who receive minimum income and pensioners with a minimum pension.
The scheme will cost 50 million euros. A further 26 million euros has been set aside to help households update their heating and electricity systems to remove “energy guzzlers”.
There will also be subsidies available for green energy initiatives such as solar panels, broadcaster ORF reports.
EXPLAINED: How to claim your €200 voucher for electronics repair in Austria
Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees start school in Vienna
Vienna has announced it has already offered 800 refugee children from Ukraine a place at school, where they will get free school meals. The city said it was looking for native Ukrainian speakers to help the children settle into Austria.
Ukraine conflict: Would NATO protect non-member Austria?
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