Alliance demands: Traffic turnaround requires priority for environmental associations

Exactly one year after the first mobility summit of the federal government, an alliance of associations and trade unions is demanding clear priorities in transport policy. IG Metall, EVG, Allianz pro Schiene, ADFC, and Zukunft Fahrrad are appealing with a joint position paper to the coalition to align their remaining term's transport policy more closely with ecological and social criteria and to prepare the industry for changed job conditions. According to the alliance, the goal must be a legally anchored mobility guarantee for all people in Germany. At the beginning, there must be a clear commitment to new priorities in transport policy, said EVG Chairman Martin Burkert.

"Mobility is more than automobility. Germany has enough highways and federal roads, but too few railways and bicycle expressways," said Burkert.

This new prioritization must also be followed by a different type of financing. "We need a cross-transport infrastructure fund modeled after Switzerland, set up for several years. Only in this way is there a secure financing basis for the mobility transition," Burkert believes.

"Funds from the construction of federal highways must be reallocated for counter-financing, and taxes in the mobility sector must be realigned," demands the Managing Director of Allianz pro Schiene, Dirk Flege.

The alliance also sees a great need for catching up in bicycle infrastructure. ADFC Federal Chairman Frank Masurat believes that to achieve the goal agreed in the National Cycling Plan of doubling bicycle traffic while simultaneously increasing safety for cyclists, the federal government must reform the Road Traffic Act to be bicycle-friendly. The current law is slowing municipalities down in building safe and attractive bike lanes. The Federal Ministry of Transport has made a legislative proposal that was passed by the Bundestag. But now some federal states are putting the brakes on with pretextual arguments.

"It is cynical that they want to cement the privileges of car traffic at the expense of cyclist safety. We urgently appeal to the federal and state governments to reach an agreement within this legislative term. The reform of the Road Traffic Act will bring not less, but more traffic safety," Masurat appeals.