Scrappage Premium for Cars: Cities Are Satisfied
With incentive programs, Frankfurt and Marburg want to encourage residents to deregister their cars. Since the beginning of July, Frankfurt has been offering free public transport for one year. So far, more than 100 applications for the environmental bonus have been received, according to the mobility department. "This is a success," says Heiko Nickel, head of strategic transport planning. The goal is to create incentives. 75 percent of the cars in the inner city districts are not moved during the week, so they are not necessary for everyday mobility.
The one-year Germany ticket, which the city issues, has a value of 588 euros. To apply, an extract from the vehicle register at the Federal Motor Transport Authority is required. Initially, there were delays due to high demand, but the process has now settled and the number of applications is increasing. It will be evaluated in the summer of 2025 whether the campaign will be continued. A total budget of half a million euros is available.
Space issues in the city center
The bonus is part of the Mobility Master Plan, a guideline for future transport policy in Frankfurt. This includes eleven key measures, including more promotion of cycling and walking as well as buses and trains. Car traffic in the city cannot continue to grow because there is no space, says Nickel:
"We need a transport transition for the city to function at all."
Given the further construction of skyscrapers in the city, the use of more efficient transport modes, such as public transport (ÖPNV), must increase. This is to be expanded and accelerated. A park-and-ride concept is also being developed, and the car-sharing offer is to be expanded. The master plan is to be presented to the city parliament after the summer break. Despite discussions, Nickel says he is confident that it will be adopted, given the extensive citizen participation involved in its development. Resistance comes, among others, from the FDP, which co-governs in Frankfurt.
Budget rapidly exhausted
In mid-June, an even more generous incentive program was launched in Marburg, which quickly met the expected response: Residents who deregister or scrap their private car for one year receive a bonus worth 1,250 euros - as in Frankfurt, it does not matter whether it is the first, second, or third car. The bonus can be used for car sharing, public transport, or for shops and restaurants. Within just under two months, the targeted 50 applicants were found. Some applicants voluntarily disclosed their reasons, explains a city spokesperson: older people who have long been considering getting rid of their car and switching to bus and train, residents from the inner city whose cars are parked more than they are driven, and second cars that have been deregistered.
By the end of the year, the experiences will be evaluated, and it will be decided how to proceed, explains the city spokesperson. The bonus is intended to be a component to help the city become climate-neutral by 2030 if possible. In a citizen referendum, however, the voters of Marburg rejected one of the core goals of the "MoVe 35" transport concept, which aimed to halve car traffic in the city by 2035.
No Premium Planned in Kassel
In Kassel, such a premium is not on the agenda. The approach of a municipal de-registration premium has not been examined and is also not being considered, a city spokesperson said. "To achieve its transport policy goals, the city is focusing on improving and expanding real offerings in pedestrian and bicycle traffic as well as public transport." Corresponding implementation concepts are being worked on.
Project in Darmstadt Ended
Darmstadt temporarily had a similar premium. Those who sold or deregistered their car received a climate ticket, as did new citizens. "With this, public transport in Darmstadt and the surrounding area could be used and tested for three months," the press office reported. The offer ended at the end of January 2024 due to "necessities for budget consolidation."
The number of cases involving car deregistration had also been steadily decreasing: "While a climate ticket was issued to 3,820 new citizens from the period of September 2022 to January 2024, it was issued to only 192 citizens due to car deregistrations. After the introduction of the Germany ticket in May 2023, the monthly number of applications significantly decreased to just two to three," the city reported.
New residents of Darmstadt now receive a 50-euro voucher for public transport. Overall, the climate protection plan that the southern Hessian city has adopted includes 50 measures. In the area of mobility, these include pilot projects to reduce car traffic, as well as strengthening pedestrian and bicycle traffic and public transport.
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