On average, four times a day, improperly parked vehicles in Vienna block trams and buses from continuing their journey. In 2024, this was an inconvenience for public transport users on 1,528 occasions, with 939 of those instances affecting the tram, which cannot bypass obstacles. To resolve this, further measures to accelerate public transport are planned. Mobility City Councilor Ulli Sima (SPÖ) announced on Tuesday a redesign of the tram line 9 in Rudolfsheim.

In 2010, there were still 3,600 obstructing vehicles, a number that dropped to 1,649 by 2020. In recent years, the number has stabilized at around 1,500, and further reductions are planned. In September 2023, fines for parking obstructively were increased from 128 to 365 euros for a wrongly parked car. Additionally, “hotspots” are being addressed with infrastructure changes. These measures, like those on Kreuzgasse in Währing, are showing results: In 2020, there were still 363 improperly parked cars in the 18th district, but by last year, that number had dropped to 210, a reduction of over 40%, according to Wiener Linien.

Improvement Measures on Camillo-Sitte-Gasse

“We will take further measures to minimize the nuisance caused by illegally parked vehicles obstructing public transport,” said Sima. “Specifically, we plan to implement a construction measure this year on Camillo-Sitte-Gasse in the 15th district to accelerate tram line 9.” The stop will be extended, the sidewalk widened, and more green spaces will be created. The district and Wiener Linien will invest over 600,000 euros.

For drivers, the concrete slabs where the tracks lie must always be kept clear. Side mirrors should be folded in. Often, just a few centimeters of misalignment from the curb can be enough to obstruct public transport. According to the Mobility Club of Austria (VCÖ), cars in Austria averaged 171.6 cm in width without side mirrors in 2001. Twenty years later, new cars have an average width of 181.1 cm.

In Vienna, there are approximately 1,300 traffic lights, around 1,050 of which are used by buses and trams from Wiener Linien. For nearly 750 of these, public transport vehicles have priority. This year, priority is planned for line 2 on the Marienbrücke and an accelerated crossing of the Gürtel for line O.

Bus Stop Upgrades for Line 57A

There will also be upgrades along bus line 57A, which will receive four “stop capsules” on Gumpendorfer Straße. These are sidewalk widenings to ensure smooth departures. Work at Sonnenuhrgasse and Brückengasse in both directions is expected to begin in 2026.