Swiss town to fine drivers who visit for less than 15 minutes

From creating fake traffic jams to blocking off exits to the motorway, towns in Switzerland go to great lengths to make sure their roads remain clear. Now, one town in Basel-Land is set to fine every visiting driver who passes through their town 100 francs, if they don’t stay there for longer than 15 minutes.

Birsfelden is beset with traffic 

The residents of the town of Birsfelden, Canton Basel-Land have a problem. Sandwiched between the A3 motorway to the south, the Rhine River to the north and Basel to the west, the town has become a favourite among drivers who want to avoid the traffic at peak times.

The local council has tried many methods to eliminate the traffic passing through but to no avail. Speaking to 20 Minuten, municipal councillor Désirée Jaun (SP) explained that they had “introduced the system of temporary one-way streets in the direction of Basel back in 2016," but it had not led to a reduction in jams.

Swiss town to fine transiting drivers

Now, the town will install special cameras at the entrances and exits to Birsfelden, which will fine drivers who pass through the town without stopping. Residents and local businesses will have to apply for a passage permit card to pass through as they please, while exceptions will also be made for the postal service, taxis, the fire brigade and police.

For everyone else, the cameras will record when drivers enter the town. If they leave the area within 15 minutes of arriving, they will receive a 100 franc fine. The measures should be in place by July 2025. 

Jaun said the new fines mean the local community will be “even better protected from diversionary traffic.” She said that drivers will be informed of the new ban through new road signs, with the total cost of the scheme coming in at 500.000 francs.

Opponents shocked by new Birsfelden traffic fines

"I am shocked by the proposal," Swiss People’s Party representative Markus Brunner told 20 Minuten. "How exactly should the system be implemented if, for example, you want to spontaneously drive someone home to Birsfelden?"

While he acknowledged the traffic issues around the town, Brunner called on the canton to step in to help regulate the situation. "I also find the plan difficult from a data protection perspective if every license plate is recorded and stored for at least a certain period of time," he concluded.