The announced diesel driving bans within the Mittlerer Ring raise fears in the outskirts of the city that they could become victims of “massive avoidance traffic”. A heated debate has just broken out in the district committee (BA) Thalkirchen-Obersendling-Forstenried-Fürstenried-Solln because of these prospects. It was triggered by a motion by the CSU parliamentary group to draw the city’s attention to the undesirable consequences of its “eighth update of the clean air plan”. CSU spokesman said they were aware of the international and national legal requirements, but they could not ignore the likely consequences of the city council’s relevant decisions.
For example, motor vehicle traffic on Boschetsrieder Strasse in Obersendling is likely to increase by 5,000 vehicles per day – on a traffic axis that is already being used by at least 12,000 vehicles per day. As a result, a lot of traffic and the associated pollution would be shifted to a neighborhood with dense residential development and three schools. Because of the sometimes longer detours, the bottom line is that even more exhaust gases could be emitted in Munich than at present. For owners of diesel vehicles in the affected emission classes, the CSU anticipates “massive unequal treatment depending on where you live”. Those who live within the Mittlerer Ring will “continue to be allowed to drive anywhere” due to exceptions. Those who live outside, on the other hand, are forced to make long detours, which cost time and money.
The green-red majority in the district committee prevents a revolution
Although they also see some problems of this kind coming to the district, the Greens and SPD – together they make up the majority in the Thalkirchen-Obersendling-Forstenried-Fürstenried-Solln BA – did not want to follow the CSU’s call for a resolution addressed to the city. From the point of view of the Social Democrats and the Greens, the impetus comes from the wrong side. After all, it was the CSU-led state government that refused to solve the exhaust gas problems in Munich for years, ultimately shifting the responsibility to the city.
In view of this history, Michael Kollatz (SPD) called it “downright grotesque” if a CSU branch of all people rebelled against the city’s actions. In fact, the mayor and the city council have no choice but to impose driving bans in order to meet the legal requirements. Otherwise the OB might still go to jail. Peter Sopp (Greens) also accused the CSU of “systematically blocking earlier approaches”. Therefore, restrictions on motor vehicle traffic are now finally unavoidable.
In the end, even a desperate appeal by its spokeswoman Claudia Küng did not help the CSU faction to the hoped-for majority to focus on the specific problems in the district instead of the overall situation in Munich. The district will have to live with the fact that “the air in the city center is getting better, but worse here”. For Küng this is “not a solution”. Not for the Greens and SPD either, but the result of a failed transport policy by the CSU that was far too car-friendly.