“Aaregondel” - Swiss Government Council Makes Fundamental Decision On Project Idea
At the end of 2022, the Aaregondel interest group presented a feasibility study on the feasibility of a cable car connection between Solothurn main station and the Attisholz-Luterbach waterfront park. After weighing up the advantages and disadvantages, the government council refrains from initiating further clarifications that would be necessary to realize the project idea.
Background: In May 2021, the interest group (IG) Aaregondel presented the idea for a cable car connection between Solothurn main station and the Attisholz-Luterbach waterfront park. In December 2022, the IG delivered a feasibility study on feasibility. In this study, the government council is implicitly asked to make a fundamental decision on the project idea. The idea is purely private in nature, but according to the initiators it is in the public interest. The “Aaregondel” is to be integrated into the public transport system.
Disadvantages outweigh
The project idea submitted to the canton is qualified as a petition. The Government Council, as the responsible authority for key decisions on planning issues, has now taken a position:
In summary, he comes to the conclusion that the proposed gondola lift - contrary to the initiators' assumptions - cannot replace the additional bus connections to the Attisholz area planned in the future. The advantages of the project idea are therefore significantly less important than the associated disadvantages and cannot outweigh them.
The situation in the Aare region to the east of the city of Solothurn cannot be compared with the conditions in the Alps. In mountain areas, accessing inhabited settlements far above the valley floor using gondola lifts makes much more sense.
The government council estimates the benefit of the project idea to be rather low. He therefore considers it hardly possible to justify the interventions in the water and migratory bird reserve as well as the effects on the landscape in the Aare area - in the immediate vicinity of the nationally protected cityscape. It would be equally difficult to justify building the gondola lift over inhabited properties. For the reasons mentioned, the government council refrains from initiating further clarifications and planning procedures that would be necessary to realize the project idea.
