The Stadtwerke München (SWM) and its subsidiary, the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG), have so far invested five and a half million euros in the planning for the tram north tangent. And they did so with the confidence that they would be allowed to lead the route through the English Garden. At least that’s what the then Prime Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) suggested. But now the state government has banned the project – citing monument protection. The route is not compatible with the historical garden monument.
So it’s all over and done with? The MVG still hopes that the government will give in. She is therefore offering discussions in which a possible replanning with a slimmer route could be discussed. But things have been looking rather bad since Tuesday. The construction committee of the Bavarian state parliament has rejected two urgent applications from the Greens and the SPD. The parties wanted to ensure that the planning could continue and that the state government sat down at the negotiating table with SWM and MVG.
Both parties point to the positive effects of increased public transport on climate protection. The SPD also argues that the government’s information on surface sealing is incorrect. This speaks of an additional 3,500 square meters of sealed area through the route, while the SWM only says 1,270 square meters. In addition, the potential danger from the tram, which would drive through the park at 30 km/h and without overhead lines, is no higher than from today’s buses on the asphalt road, according to the Munich planners.
As a reminder: On September 5, 2017, the Council of Ministers made the fundamental decision that the route can be planned. Because the owner of the English Garden is not the city of Munich, but the Free State. However, the government left the final approval open until the planning approval documents were available.
Those responsible in the Free State canceled intermittent discussions because, in their view, SWM and MVG did not yet have any viable plans. They missed the “necessary attention to detail and depth of planning”.
The CSU also maintained its negative stance on Tuesday. The Munich CSU state parliament member Josef Schmid said he shook his head when he saw the plans. He also stuck to the state government’s argument that the additional sealing amounted to 3,500 square meters. One would have expected that they would be able to build something “delicate” there. Without circulation barriers there will be “chaos” with personal injuries.
The CSU also rejects the tram route in Johanneskirchen
Schmid didn’t want to hear about any offers of conversation. He criticized the tram plans in Munich in general, for example for the route in Johanneskirchen, which the CSU also rejects. Markus Büchler (Greens) said he hopes the state government sees it differently. The planning is not mindless, but rather clever because it offers alternatives to car traffic.
From his point of view, refusing to talk would not be a factual decision, but rather a party-political decision, said Büchler. Sabine Gross (SPD) also countered once again that an expert opinion does not mean an increased risk. Schmid stuck to his rejection. There is already an alternative to car traffic: these are the buses that drive through the English Garden.