Zurich trams are sometimes concerned in accidents; Geneva visitors is a ’nightmare,‘ residents say; and extra Swiss information in our roundup on Tuesday.
Collisions involving trams are a recurring drawback in Zurich
Accidents involving trams are a daily prevalence in Zurich’s metropolis visitors.
They not solely crash into different automobiles, but additionally collide with one another, with generally tragic penalties.
In 2024 alone, six individuals died in accidents involving trams.
One of many causes, in response to eyewitnesses cited within the media, is that “the pace at which the trams snake via the already dense metropolis visitors is way too excessive.“
Officers, nevertheless, deny this declare.
„We’re more and more observing how on a regular basis visitors is changing into increasingly more hectic,“ Zurich transport firm VBZ and municipal authorities mentioned in a joint assertion.
Which means that trams should share „the restricted visitors area, with different types of mobility.”
One other issue: the tram’s right-of-way „is usually ignored“ by different automobiles. That is harmful, as a result of trams „have a braking distance 3 times longer than a automotive.”
In Geneva, visitors is ‘turning right into a nightmare,’ residents say
As development websites are multiplying all through the town, Geneva’s streets are frequently congested, with residents and native companies complaining about this “untenable state of affairs,” in response to report by RTS public broadcaster.
And this drawback won’t be solved anytime quickly as a result of the most important undertaking, by Geneva Industrial Companies (SIG) to put in a brand new heating system, is predicted to final a minimum of till 2045.
“We should count on troublesome years forward,“ mentioned Geneva politician Pierre Maudet.
He added, nevertheless, that the congestion might be a minimum of partly relieved by higher coordination of development websites , in addition to elevated use of carpooling by residents.
Commercial
Optimistic forecasts for Switzerland’s financial system in 2025, warning for 2026
UBS economists are forecasting Swiss GDP progress of 1.3 % in 2025 — up from 1 %
They’re, nevertheless, extra pessimistic about 2026, as a result of menace of US tariffs, and their destabilising impact on the financial system.
„Within the coming quarters, US tariffs are anticipated to have a unfavourable impression on exports, and GDP is subsequently anticipated to stagnate,“ economists mentioned.
Consequently, GDP progress is predicted to decelerate to round 1 %.
Commercial
Swiss glacier collapse may value large sums
The dramatic collapse of Switzerland’s Birch glacier on Could twenty eighth, which fully worn out the Valais village of Blatten, is a „main catastrophe that’s nearly unprecedented in its scale and impression on the affected inhabitants“, the Swiss Insurance coverage Affiliation (SIA) mentioned on Monday.
Whereas “it not but doable to present a exact estimate of the extent of the harm“, Eduard Held, the affiliation’s specialist in harm brought on by pure hazards, estimated “a lack of of a number of hundred million francs.” (AFP).
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