VDV: New Traffic Law Must Promote Bus Lanes - Not Special Lanes

According to VDV Vice President Werner Overkamp, the planned reform of road traffic law carries the risk that the intended creation of special lanes for certain types of individual traffic will be at the expense of bus lanes. In this context, he speaks of “mobility transition-hostile Trojans”.

"We are therefore grateful to the Bundestag's Transport Committee for making it clear in its statement that an additional special lane—for example, for certain cars—should only be permissible if it is simultaneously ensured that it has no impairing effects on the punctuality and performance of bus and tram line traffic," Overkamp explained.

Background

The basis for the planned changes in road traffic law is the statement in the traffic light coalition agreement that the Road Traffic Act and regulations should be adjusted so that, in addition to the fluidity and safety of traffic, the goals of climate and environmental protection, health, and urban development are considered in order to open up decision-making leeway for states and municipalities. For this purpose, the Federal Ministry of Transport has submitted amendment proposals, which also include other possibilities such as the introduction of special lanes for certain types of individual traffic. The VDV views these special lanes skeptically and at least demands the current binding commitment to an assessment of the impact on public transport as decided by the Bundestag's Transport Committee.

"In our opinion, it would be better if, instead of new special lanes, the conditions for creating bus lanes in the administrative regulation to the Road Traffic Regulations were changed. Because today, there is such a high hurdle for new installations that it unnecessarily restricts the flexibility and decision-making freedom of cities and municipalities in creating bus lanes," Overkamp continues to criticize.

The VDV has formulated further proposals to improve road traffic law in a current VDV position paper titled “Amendment Proposals to Road Traffic Law – for a Good Mobility Transition”. You can find it in our attachment.