Faster between places
Improving transportation in Reykjavík is a quality of life issue. The Independence Party wants to pay for traffic so that people can get between places faster. Freedom and choice of diverse transportation must be ensured and control over citizens must be abandoned. One mode of transportation should not exclude another – the future should include freedom of choice and flexibility.
New priorities
The financing and prioritization of projects in the Capital Region's transportation charter needs to be reviewed. The Independence Party rejects expressway and traffic charges in the Capital Region and calls for the state's contribution to be financed in other ways.
It is necessary to ensure that the most urgent and profitable projects of the pact are given priority. The misaligned intersections at Sprengisandur, Miklubrautargöngur and the introduction of smart traffic lights must be accelerated. At the same time, the bottlenecks at Höfðabakki must be removed, traffic safety at busy intersections must be improved and the necessary maintenance of the city's transport infrastructure must be ensured.
Easy and safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists must be ensured in Reykjavík, and children must always have a safe walking route to school.
City line sailed to shore
The Independence Party believes that the majority in Reykjavík has run aground on the city line and intends to review the project from scratch. A new, cost-effective express bus system on special lanes that does not restrict general traffic will be implemented, in collaboration with the municipalities in the capital area. Trips will be more frequent, shelters will be better, service will be more efficient, and the emphasis on centralizing special lanes will be reduced. The Independence Party rejects the impending restrictions on general traffic, such as on Suðurlandsbraut. The goal of the new express bus system must be to make public transport a viable option for more people.
Parking policy review
The Independence Party intends to overhaul the city's parking policy so that it better meets the needs of residents and businesses. Changes to parking fees in the city center that led to the expansion of charging areas, increased fees, and extended payment periods need to be reversed. The fee has become a burdensome city center tax that deters citizens from seeking shopping and services in this dynamic market area. At the same time, resident cards need to be reviewed and parking cards for employers need to be implemented.
The Independence Party intends to eliminate burdensome requirements regarding the number of parking spaces in new buildings. It is also necessary to abolish the twenty-fold increase in street construction fees for underground parking lots and create incentives for developers to install underground parking lots.
Improved traffic flow management
People in the capital area may experience an increase in travel time of up to 30 minutes in the morning at peak times when secondary and higher education institutions resume in the autumn. The Independence Party wants to start a dialogue with businesses, institutions and educational institutions about changing the start of the working day and teaching day in order to achieve a better distribution of traffic load. Furthermore, a greater balance in traffic flows could be achieved through more balanced urban planning and an increase in the number of workplaces in the eastern part of the city.
Sundastraut and tunnel
The Independence Party wants to start the construction of Sundabraut immediately. It is a nationally profitable transportation project and an important connection for many neighborhoods in Reykjavík. The road will strengthen Reykjavík as the capital of all citizens, strengthen the city's competitiveness and the position of civil defense. Implementation needs to be done in harmony with residents and businesses, but the Independence Party favors pedestrian solutions.
The Independence Party also wants new residential areas in the capital area to be located underground in tunnels under private construction, taking into account the experience of the Hvalfjörður Tunnel. This will significantly ease above-ground traffic, increase quality of life and reduce above-ground disturbance during construction. Tunnels will achieve better utilization of land space, increased traffic capacity, greater privacy and improved air quality.
We are ready!
In 2019, it was estimated that almost nine million hours were wasted in traffic delays within the capital annually. Traffic delays during rush hour had increased by almost 50% in just a few years. This was shown by the results of the traffic model of the Icelandic Road Administration and measurements by the Icelandic Road Administration. These delays corresponded to about 40 hours – or an entire working week – per resident of the capital annually. In recent years, the situation has only worsened.
It is long overdue to embark on a major transportation improvement in the capital. We are ready for the project, but we need your support to do so. Without a strong Independence Party, there will be no change.
