Most Budapest Residents 'Unhappy' With Mayor's Traffic Policies - Shows Survey
- 27 Jun 2021 7:50 AM
More than three-quarters of Budapest’s residents are concerned about the increasingly heavy traffic congestions in the city and the resulting air pollution, according to a fresh survey by the Századvég Foundation, which found that “Budapest disapproved” of Mayor Gergely Karácsony’s traffic policies.
Altogether 82% of the survey’s respondents expressed concern over traffic jams resulting from traffic lanes being blocked off for cyclists, Századvég said.
Fully 80% said they were concerned about the increased air pollution that came with the congestions.
At the same time 61% of respondents had nothing negative to say about the increased road space for cyclists, Századvég added.
A total of 56% of the survey’s respondents disagree with the municipal council’s expansion of bicycle lanes at the expense of roads for cars.
In addition, 61% said they disagreed with the Budapest leadership’s decision to pave a flower bed at the bridgehead on the Buda side of the Chain Bridge and put a bicycle path on it.
“It is clear that the mayor’s efforts to promote cycling are not in line with the needs of Budapest residents on roads with heavy traffic,” Századvég said in its analysis.
“The interests of local residents lie in well-thought-out improvements to traffic for both motorists and cyclists, rather than having the various groups of road users be pitted against each other.”
MTI Photo: Márton Mónus
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