Lausanne, Vaud (20 Minutes, Fre) - The Vaud cantonal council Monday night voted in favour of a motion that calls for a study to determine whether or not the canton should loan the Swiss federal government CHF1 million for a third rail line and additional autoroute lane between Geneva and Lausanne, to reduce growing traffic congestion in the region. The population in Vaud alone is expected to grow by another 100,000 in the next 12 years, from its current 770,000.

Cantons Geneva and Vaud have been calling for Bern to approve construction of another rail line and possibly autoroute lane for some time, but the federal government has made it clear this is not a priority in the national programme to improve transport, and the funds are not available. In the summer of 2008 federal councilors noted that other options, such as private-public financing for the rail line, could be considered.

The Monday night council debate in Vaud centred around whether or not to include a study of the autoroute option, which might increase the risk that Bern will refuse to consider the package because public transport is a higher priority.

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