• austriantimes.at
• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at

Today

• Vienna - Johnny\'s Pub Quiz
• Vienna - Unknown Underground
• Vienna - Childrens Fun
• Vienna - Palais Lichtenstein

© europics.at

24. 05. 12. - 16:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

24. 05. 12. - 16:00

Knoflacher emphasises pedestrian zones' economic effects

A renowned traffic planner has stressed that shop owners are generally appreciating the introduction of pedestrian zones.

Hermann Knoflacher, who masterminded the reconstruction of the busy Kärntner Straße and other streets in the heart of Vienna into an area for pedestrians in the 1960s – told magazine profil: "The debate prior to the creation of a pedestrian zone is always the same. Normally, businesspeople who would have loved to drown me ahead of the introduction come to me afterwards to check the potential for an extension of the zone – because they are achieving higher turnovers."

Knoflacher claimed that humans failed to cope with automotive innovations in terms of culture and civilisation. He said: "A drunkard gets locked away if he goes on a night-time rampage. But a driver makes more noise – and no one is bothered. If we kill people with a car, we call it traffic accident."

The traffic researcher pointed out that 1.2 million people were dying on roads all around the world a year. He referred to studies by the World Health Organization (WHO) showing that twice as many were killed at a young age by the effects of vehicles’ exhaust fumed.

Reflecting on the conflicts ahead of the introduction of a pedestrian area at Kärntner Straße, one of the most popular shopping streets of the Austrian capital, Knoflacher told profil: "People really thought that the centre of Vienna would go down. (...) But there were brave planning and courageous city politicians."

Speaking about the various initiatives by the Viennese People’s Party (ÖVP) for drivers and parking spots in the city, Knoflacher claimed that the conservative faction headed by Manfred Juraczka "must be in a terribly bad state considering the way it is acting."

The current city coalition of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and Greens is concentrating on measures for more public transport and cycling. The inner part of Mariahilfer Straße, which connects Innere Stadt district with Westbahnhof station, could be the next street to be turned into a pedestrian area.

Government officials are currently holding talks with traffic experts, local residents and store owners to debate the various options. Reports have it that a shared space concept is most likely to be introduced.

Knoflacher revealed that he once suggested to turn Mariahilfer Straße into a pedestrian zone with a tramway connection before city officials decided to stop cooperating with him concerning the future structure of the street.

More than 4.5 million cars were registered for usage in Austria at the end of last year. There are 530 cars per 1,000 inhabitants in Austria. Luxembourg is ahead in the European Union (EU) in this regard with 660 while Romania takes last place (210). Half of all distances Austrians cover by car are shorter than five kilometres (km).

Vienna Times

Related articles: Vienna focus

1. A night of glitz and glamour at Vienna Filmball 2013

   » Panorama 2013-03-18

   Glamour and glitz were out in force at the weekend as stars from Austria and further afield flocked over the red carpet into the Vienna City Hall for a night of awards, dance and partying!

2. Bonbon Ball crowns Miss Bonbon 2013!

   » Panorama 2013-02-11

   By far the sweetest event in the Vienna Ball season - the Bonbon Ball took place this weekend.

3. Demonstration to remain in front of Votiv Kirche

   » General News 2012-12-19

   Following lack of progress made by talks between representatives of the Church, the charity Caritas and refugee activists at the Votiv Kirche in Vienna, protesters are set to stay camped outside the building.

4. Man goes on supermarket axe rampage

   » General News 2012-12-19

   A supermarket worker and three supermarket customers were attacked by a man on the rampage with an axe in a supermarket in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

5. Runners caught short in Vienna Indoor Marathon

   » General News 2012-12-19

   Marathon runners who thought they'd clocked up record times were caught short when organisers confessed that the course wasn't long enough.

6. Underground rape suspect arrested in Graz

   » General News 2012-12-19

   A man accused of raping a 23-year-old woman on an underground line during rush hour in the Austrian capital has been arrested in Graz, Styria.

7. Woman stabs boyfriend in head then goes to bed

   » General News 2012-12-19

   A woman stabbed her partner in the head before going to bed after a row in her apartment in Vienna, Austria.

8. Parking permit zones to be extended

   » General News 2012-12-19

   Discussions are ongoing about making a park permit zone in the Vienna Districts of Hietzing and Währing from 2013 as a result of a knock on effect from surrounding districts.

9. Indoor pool in Vienna open after renovation work

   » Panorama 2012-12-18

   Vienna's indoor swimming pool the Amalienbad is open again after it was closed for renovations over the summer.

10. Price rise set for many in Vienna housing associations

    » General News 2012-12-10

    The year 2013 is going to start off an expensive one of the 2500 people living in Vienna.

Related articles: business boom

1. Austrian skiers create overnight stay record

   » Business 2012-05-29

   The number of winter season overnight stays by Austrians has reached a new record.

2. Knoflacher emphasises pedestrian zones' economic effects

   » General News 2012-05-24

   A renowned traffic planner has stressed that shop owners are generally appreciating the introduction of pedestrian zones.

3. FW turnover takes off

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Austria’s biggest airport has managed to increase its profit.

4. Congress tourism boosts cities and countryside

   » Business 2012-05-17

   International conferences are becoming increasingly important to the Austrian tourism industry.

5. Schieder wants technology offensive

   » General News 2012-05-15

   Finance Secretary Andreas Schieder has appealed on politicians and businesspeople to ensure that Europeans benefit from technologic developments.

6. TA recovers as CEO rejects Pecik fears

   » Business 2012-05-11

   Telekom Austria (TA) is back in the black.

7. BA almost takes €400mn profit hurdle

   » Business 2012-05-11

   Bank Austria (BA) has achieved a profit of almost 400 million Euros in the first quarter of 2012.

8. Turmöl sales soar

   » Business 2012-05-11

   Austria’s main discount petrol station network earned more in the first three months of this year thanks to the current developments on the energy products sector.

9. Bonuses must mean tax cuts, says ÖVP boss

   » General News 2012-05-02

   The People’s Party (ÖVP) has suggested to lower the tax pressure on companies which share their profits with employees.

10. Strabag turnover soars thanks to EE

    » Business 2012-05-01

    Two of Austria’s leading construction companies had good and bad news for shareholders in the past few days.

Spanish Riding School for everyone
The riding centre of Heldenberg, district of Hollabrunn (Lower Austria) is now offering exclusive courses: professional riders of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna teach interested riders.

Vienna advocates a ban on pesticides
Vienna has now joined those Austrian states that advocate a cooperative strategy for a ban of the neonicotinoids pesticides. Apparently, there are tested alternatives for the pesticides that are harmful for bees.

Huge debate over multilingualism in Austria
Possible projects for a "multilingual oriented educational concept" have led to a debate in Vienna. The SPÖ, ÖVP and FPÖ are currently discussing the two sides of the issue: "multilingualism as a chance" and "German as a priority".

Exhibition Drawing Against Oblivion
The Leopold Museum in Vienna opened the the exhibition "Drawing against oblivion" on 17 May. Manfred Bockelmann drew more than 60 portraits of children and teenagers, who were victims of the Nazi terror.

Swap deals legal case gets underway
The civil case of the city of Linz, Upper Austria, against the Bawag bank about the swap deal will start on 24 May. The maximum amount of damage for Linz could be as much as 417 million Euros in the worst case.

Third man accident leaves man in hospital
A 55-year-old man fell during the "Third Man Tour", which leads visitors through the Viennese canal system. He is said to have suffered a femoral neck fracture.

Charity seeks funds to restore Jewish cemetery
SAFIKG – the Society of American Friends of the Jewish Community Vienna was formed as a U.S. registered charity to allow it to support the IKG (Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien) with tax deductible American contributions.

Doves released for funerals offer
The Viennese funeral parlour Furtner now offers a symbolic supplement of the classic funeral. White doves can be released into the sky during the ceremony.

US embassy marks international day against homophobia
The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) took place on 17 May. On this occasion, the rainbow flag was raised next to the American flag at the building of the US embassy in Vienna.

Key for Two at Viennas English Theatre [Review]
Key for Two at Vienna’s English Theatre is a quintessentially British comedy. The play by John Chapman and Dave Freeman has to be one of the funniest and timeless shows about in the Austrian capital.