DThe traffic light government has failed in its plan to give municipalities more leeway in setting up 30 km/h zones, cycle paths, zebra crossings or special lanes for buses and electric cars. A corresponding legislative proposal from the Federal Ministry of Transport did not receive the necessary approval from the federal states on Friday. Some Union-led countries rejected the plan. The law cannot therefore come into force for the time being. In order to find a compromise, the mediation committee can be called upon.
The proposed law was seen as an important step on the way to a transport transition that will essentially be shaped by the municipalities. The draft should make it legally clear that concerns relating to environmental and climate protection, health protection and urban development can also justify road traffic measures.
Municipalities want more leeway
Many municipalities have long complained that they lack the legal leeway to make key transport policy decisions, such as which streets can have a 30 km/h zone. Previously, this was only possible if a traffic accident had already occurred several times at the relevant location. The “Livable Cities and Communities Initiative” was founded more than two years ago to campaign for changes to road traffic law. More than 1,000 municipalities are now represented there.
The FDP sharply criticized the blockade in the Federal Council: “With its no in the Federal Council, the Union is letting the town halls and city parliaments starve on the subject of road traffic,” said Jürgen Lenders, the FDP parliamentary group’s responsible rapporteur for traffic law. The traffic light coalition has one Draft presented with “balanced and tailored solutions” in road traffic law, which would have provided more legroom on site. “With your blockade, the Union is shining a spotlight on the role and influence that the federal states have in road traffic law.” Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing also regretted the failure in the Federal Council.
The climate protection organization Agora Verkehrswende criticized the fact that party political interests had apparently prevailed at the federal and state levels, although the reform was supported across party lines at the local level. This damages citizens’ trust in democracy and the ability of politics and administration to act.
The project was controversial in the traffic light government because it did not go far enough for the Greens. After months of standstill, it was only passed by the Bundestag a few weeks ago as part of a large transport package together with new rules to speed up planning and increase the truck toll.
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