Faced with the rising cost of maintaining the road and motorway network in Switzerland, a new proposal has been submitted that would introduce a special tax on cyclists. Supporters argue that a “cycling vignette” would help fund infrastructure projects nationwide, while opponents say the extra charge is unfair.
Under the plans, submitted by Swiss People’s Party (SVP) National Councillor Nina Fehr, cyclists would be required to pay 20 francs a year for a cycling vignette. Similar to the motorway vignette paid by drivers, the pass would either be affixed to the bike itself or purchased online, and would be mandatory.
Though a cycling vignette did exist in Switzerland up until 2012, the previous version was to prove that the bike was covered by liability insurance. Fehr explained that the income from the modern vignette would be used to subsidise expansion and repairs to the road network.
Originally proposed back in 2022, new life has been breathed into the idea following the defeat of the motorway expansion referendum in November 2024. During the debate, questions were raised as to how the road network would be funded in the future, with some fearing that an increase in fuel tax would be the only way to pay for future maintenance. For the SVP, this fear is one of the main reasons why the vote to spend billions expanding the motorways failed.
Speaking to 20 Minuten, Fehr argued that "there are millions of cyclists in Switzerland who use our roads and ever-new cycle paths, but do not pay a cent for it." She said that the 20-franc tax would raise a “substantial amount to finance road maintenance” - 400.000 new bikes were sold in 2023 alone.
“Cyclists benefit from the taxes paid by motorists without contributing anything to the financing themselves," agreed FDP National Councillor Christian Wasserfallen. He added that Swiss cities, whose populations statistically oppose road expansion the most, could use the extra charge to fund their own greener initiatives.
In response, Social Democratic National Councillor and vice president of Pro Velo Hasan Candan said the idea was a knee-jerk reaction to the failed vote in November, reaffirming that cycling is the most efficient method of transport. He noted that of the 102 billion francs spent on transport in Switzerland every year, very little is given to cycling and a large chunk of the costs are sourced from road accidents, damage and wear and tear caused by cars.
The Swiss Transport Club’s Stéphanie Penher added that fuel and vehicle taxes are just some of the many taxation streams used to fund road repairs, many of which are already paid by cyclists. She therefore concluded that "it would at least be legitimate to ask whether a bicycle tax would not lead to double taxation.”
Interestingly, the reaction of cyclists amounts to calling the SVP’s bluff: speaking to 20 Minuten, one cyclist said she was in favour of the extra charge, but "if cyclists are to contribute to the costs, the streets must also be made more bicycle-friendly." Others agreed that they would be happy to pay for the charge if it led to safer, secluded cycle paths and routes through major cities.
Fehr is set to submit her proposal to parliament in the spring, after which Federal Transport Minister Albert Rösti (SVP) will decide whether to move forward with the idea.