Swiss Greens propose 80 km/h motorway limit as fuel prices rise 13%

With the Strait of Hormuz closure causing energy prices to rise across Europe, the Greens have suggested several measures to reduce energy use in Switzerland.

Greens propose 80 km/h motorway speed limit to cut fuel use

According to the political party, the speed limit on all motorways in Switzerland should be reduced from 120 kilometres per hour (km/h) to 80 km/h to help reduce petrol and diesel use. According to 20 Minuten, this is not the first time the suggestion has been put forward by the Greens.

In fact, the Federal Roads Office (ASTRA) has previously discussed the benefits of lower speed limits on Swiss motorways in helping aid the flow of traffic. Many roads now implement variable speed limits to help during busier periods.

The Greens’ president Lisa Mazzone argues that the energy crisis is highlighting “how dependent we are” on fuel and that the “bourgeois majority” has not done enough to make the country more resilient in a crisis.

Furthermore, the party suggests that Switzerland should introduce a 10 Swiss franc public transport day ticket to make taking the train or bus more attractive than driving, and private jet use should be cut. “It’s logical that the federal government should restrict consumption where it’s most senseless and highest per capita”, continued Mazzone.

Fuel reaches highest price in 2026

The demands come as petrol prices reached their “highest price this year” last week, reports Nau. According to the Touring Club of Switzerland (TCS), petrol and diesel prices rose by around 5 cents per litre last week. The average price for unleaded 95 is now 1,90 Swiss francs per litre, 2,01 francs for unleaded 98 and 2,17 francs per litre for diesel. 

“These are also the highest prices of the year for gasoline,” confirmed TCS spokesman Marco Wölfli. Since the beginning of the US-Iran war, this represents around a 13 percent increase in petrol prices and 20 percent for diesel. 

The Swiss government is yet to introduce any measures to address rising fuel prices and has so far confirmed that the country’s oil supply is “still guaranteed” for now.