The cycling club ADFC has asked the new Federal Minister of Transport, Volker Wissing (FDP), for fundamental reforms. In traffic law, the privileging of cars must be ended, said the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC). Wissing had to get the road traffic law reform underway in the first 100 days.
The Bundestag will debate future transport policy on Thursday. “Our traffic law is from yesterday – the car comes first, all other types of traffic are marginalized,” said ADFC Federal Managing Director Ann-Kathrin Schneider. “This imbalance no longer fits our time, the one-sided legal privilege of the car prevents the traffic turnaround.” A modern road traffic law is needed that focuses on road safety, climate protection and sustainable urban planning and finally gives the municipalities the freedom to make decisions and design leeway to create enough space and safety for bicycle traffic.
Bicycle not central enough in the coalition agreement
In a paper, the ADFC demands that the bicycle should be the focus of the traffic turnaround. However, the coalition agreement is far from being a “blueprint” for it. Almost no importance is attached to the bicycle as a climate and environmentally friendly, inexpensive, clean and safe means of transport, although the bicycle is indispensable for the implementation of a modern mobility policy.
In August, Schneider had the German press agency said, “Unfortunately, Germany is still a car country and not a bicycle country.” There is much more space in cities for cars and not enough space for bicycles. Germany is lagging behind in an international comparison.
(fpi)
