Canton and city want to open up future development focal points
In order to cope with the expected population growth in the west and north of the city of Zurich, public transport will be further expanded. One of the focal points is the northern tram tangent to provide access to the urban development area in Zurich North.
In addition to short- and medium-term measures such as a new bus concept in Zurich North and the Affoltern tram, longer-term service expansions are also planned for public transport in the canton and city of Zurich. Part of this expansion is a project that was presented in more detail today by Zurich Cantonal Councillor and Director of Economic Affairs Carmen Walker Späh and Councillor Michael Baumer, Head of the Department of Industrial Operations: the North Tram Tangent from Zurich Affoltern via Oerlikon to Stettbach.
Public transport ring system with new tangential connection
The project is an integral part of the ZVV strategy 2025-2029 as well as the VBZ network development strategy based on the “Public Transport Vision 2050”, which among other things envisages a public transport ring system with a new tangential connection from Affoltern via Oerlikon to Stettbach. “Zurich North has enormous potential and radiates far beyond the city limits into the canton,” says Councillor and ZVV Transport Council President Carmen Walker Späh. “It therefore makes sense, after the Affoltern tram, to examine the northern tram tangent more closely”. This is all the more true as the Tramtangente Nord is also to use part of the tracks of the Affoltern tram, which is to be built from 2026.
The role and task of public transport in the canton and city of Zurich are demanding: it should ensure large traffic flows on as climate-neutral a basis as possible and thus continue to be the backbone of modern, climate-friendly and efficient mobility in the future. Already today, a large part of transport is handled by public transport – in the canton one third, in the city about 40 %. With a view to climate protection measures and on the basis of the cantonal and urban strategies, these shares should be further increased.
Councillor Michael Baumer sums up the strategy: “Only with short travel times, punctuality and a dense network can we remain attractive. The planned ring system with the tram tangent north as a first step brings public transport in the city decisively further”. In order to absorb the population growth in the neighbourhoods of Zurich North, a targeted expansion of the tram and bus network is necessary.
The expansion of public transport is one of the foundations of the spatial development strategy of the city of Zurich to promote the centres in the north and west of the city. The project is now being tackled quickly with the aim of being able to submit the project to the federal government for co-financing as part of the 6th generation agglomeration programmes. The federal government requires a completed preliminary project for each of the major light rail projects. This summer, as part of the ZVV strategy 2025-2029, the cantonal government of Zurich decided to give the green light for initial clarifications and to create the basis for a corresponding project credit. The next steps in this project are now being taken by the city of Zurich with a potential and feasibility study.