Tallinn to start removing snow from sidewalks of city-owned streets

TALLINN - The Tallinn city council on Monday approved an amendment to the city's maintenance bylaw, which makes it obligatory for the city to remove snow from the sidewalks of all city-owned streets from the coming winter.

Up to now, it was the responsibility of the property owners bordering the streets to clear the sidewalks of snow.

"I am pleased that Tallinn has finally joined the ranks of Estonian municipalities where the city does not burden its residents and homeowners with clearing snow from city-owned property. I hope that Tallinn will become a role model for those cities that have not yet been willing or able to take this decision," said Priidu Pärna, co-rapporteur of the motion.

Pärna said that Isamaa has been campaigning for years to end the winter corvée obligation, but its initiative has always been rejected on the grounds that it would be too expensive.

"Under the previous city administration, we heard claims that this could cost over 20 million euros. It turned out those figures were completely made up. The current coalition reviewed the snow removal contracts, conducted an appropriate analysis, and found that the actual amount is no more than half of that," the council member from Isamaa party said.