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Agora/DLR Study: Reduce Dependence on Cars - Create Social Balance

A discussion paper provides an overview of mobility poverty in Germany. The strong focus on cars carries significant social risks. However: Differentiated political measures require better data.

The think tank Agora laments the car-centric focus - and that 27 million people in Germany have no access to public transportation. | Photo: ADAC
The think tank Agora laments the car-centric focus - and that 27 million people in Germany have no access to public transportation. | Photo: ADAC
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Combating mobility poverty in Germany can reconcile both social participation and climate protection. This is the main finding of a discussion paper by the Berlin think tank Agora Verkehrswende, based on a background report from the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Political measures should primarily aim to reduce dependence on cars, relieve low-income households, and make routes simpler and shorter or eliminate them altogether, the authors appeal. In addition to discussing political measures, it is also important to improve the data situation and better understand mobility poverty in Germany.

“Germany is only at the beginning of seriously addressing mobility poverty. The issue is also relevant in Germany and will become even more relevant as prices for fossil fuels increasingly include the costs of climate damage,” explains Wiebke Zimmer, Deputy Director of Agora Verkehrswende.

In her view, Germany's strong focus on cars poses great social risks. She criticizes that "scattergun subsidies like fuel rebates" reach only a small portion of those who actually need them.

"Currently, people with high incomes benefit primarily from commuter allowances and company car taxation. It is therefore all the more important to address mobility poverty and develop measures that serve both social participation and climate protection," Zimmer continues to criticize. 

Dimensions: Affordability, Accessibility, Availability, and Time Poverty

The discussion paper explains the term mobility poverty, analyzes using empirical data how the various dimensions of mobility poverty are pronounced in Germany, describes the political fields of action, and outlines exemplary measures. The term mobility poverty makes it clear that mobility is a prerequisite for social participation. Restrictions on mobility therefore also mean restrictions on social participation. People are particularly affected if they cannot afford mobility (affordability), cannot easily reach places of daily necessity (accessibility), have no access to mobility services (availability), or if mobility requires a lot of time and organization (time poverty).

Poor Connection to Public Transportation: 27 Million People

Structurally, many factors impact how well people can be mobile, according to the authors. A major difference, according to Agora Verkehrswende, is the availability of bus and train connections. Around 27 million people in Germany have no or very poor access to public transportation. Additional limitations arise if there is a lack of barrier-free access or discounted fares. The only alternative is often the private car. But even those who own a car cannot always be mobile as desired. Especially low-income households with working individuals have to save money elsewhere if they rely on a car for their commute.

“A particularly at-risk group are those who have to drive frequently, have a low income, and can hardly switch to other means of transport,” emphasizes Benjamin Fischer, project manager for transport economics at Agora Verkehrswende. They will find it particularly difficult to cope with the foreseeable rising fuel prices.

At-Risk Group: Outside the Cities

People in sparsely populated regions outside the cities are also generally at risk, but not automatically. There are partly significant differences between neighboring federal states that are similar in some respects: In Baden-Württemberg, for example, people are better protected against rising fuel prices than in Bavaria; and in Saxony, better than in Thuringia. The best way to prevent mobility poverty is through the expansion of public transport and infrastructure, as well as work models that do not necessitate the use of a car.

"Time pressure and coordination efforts can additionally hinder mobility," says Janna Aljets, project manager for Urban Mobility at Agora Verkehrswende.

Women are more affected by this. While men tend to cover longer distances at a stretch, for example to work, for leisure, or for shopping and errands, women's mobility is characterized by shorter, successive trips, often with children, luggage, or shopping. This is partly because women do more caregiving and household work than men. Their more complex and detailed travel chains are associated with more time pressure and coordination efforts. So far, these gender differences have been underrepresented in research.

Translated automatically from German.
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