VBZ withdraws from Westnetz.ch

The streetcar Zurich West is today an integrated part of the Zurich streetcar network, the streetcar line is well known and the route is well utilized. A separate communication platform - as it was conceived with Westnetz.ch and operated by VBZ for the market launch of the new streetcar line - is therefore no longer needed, write the Zurich transport authority in a statement.

In addition, the VBZ have worked with Vbzonline.ch launched its own online magazine in recent weeks, telling stories about Zurich's everyday traffic and its participants, about green lifestyle and urbanity, about the past, present and future of mobility, and about people and ideas. In the video interview, Heinz Vögeli, the initiator of the two projects, talks about the reasons for launching the neighborhood platform Westnetz.ch a few years ago, the successful development of the platform and the current exit from the project, as well as the new Vbzonline magazine:

Westnetz.ch should live on

However, Westnetz.ch is now a well-established and regularly used neighborhood platform by and for Zurich West with a large and loyal readership. In professional circles, Westnetz.ch is considered an exemplary project in the field of micro-local online journalism.
That is why the platform is to live on even after VBZ has withdrawn from the project. Together with the editors Thomas Haemmerli and David Schäfer, new sponsors have been sought in recent months and the editors are currently negotiating with possible partners. In order to create clear conditions, the Westnetz editorial team has now decided to continue to operate the platform under its own direction and responsibility from September 1, 2015 until a final agreement is reached with one of the interested parties. Nothing will change in the concept of Westnetz.ch. Visitors to the website will merely be informed about the new situation via a new landing page.