Transport policy
More clarity: Wissing criticizes federal states
After a failed law: Transport Minister Volker Wissing appeals to the states to better coordinate positions internally. photo
© Martin Schutt/dpa
Municipalities should be given more leeway when setting up 30 km/h zones or bus lanes. But the law surprisingly failed in the Federal Council. The Minister of Transport makes an appeal to the federal states.
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has asked for more clarity from the federal states transport policy requires. “I call on the transport ministers of the federal states to better coordinate the positions they represent in the conference of transport ministers within their state governments in the future,” the FDP politician told the German Press Agency in Mainz on Saturday.
“Both on the question of financing the Deutschlandticket and on the road traffic law, the demands of the transport ministers often do not match the decisions of their own state governments,” criticized Wissing. “This not only leads to uncertainty among citizens and municipalities, but also makes political and legislative processes extremely difficult.”
Law fails in the Federal Council
A law passed by the Bundestag on new road traffic regulations that required approval failed to achieve the required majority in the Bundesrat on Friday. It intended to give cities and municipalities more leeway, for example to set up bus lanes and 30 km/h zones. “We wanted to give the municipalities more scope for action locally,” Wissing said afterwards. “Obviously this is not what the states want.”
The law also stipulated that, in addition to the fluidity and safety of traffic, objectives of climate and environmental protection, health and urban development should also be taken into account. Since it did not receive a majority, the Federal Council removed an amendment to the road traffic regulations based on it from the agenda.
It was intended that local authorities could also set up “special lanes” to test climate-friendly mobility – for example for electric cars, hydrogen vehicles or cars in which several passengers sit. There should also be more flexibility in resident parking zones, bus lanes or cycle paths. 30 km/h speed limits should be easier to set, for example on sections of the road near playgrounds and school routes, as well as in gaps between two 30 km/h speed zones, so that traffic flows more easily.