Transport Minister's Worry Amidst Ground-Level Issues
In a career spanning 14 years as Transport Minister, Winfried Hermann, often referred to as the "Mobility Minister," has made significant strides in promoting cycling in Germany. However, his ambitious goal of noticeably reducing the share of car traffic remains unfulfilled.
Hermann's tenure has seen the creation of numerous cycle paths across the country, including a rapid cycleway between Böblingen/Sindelfingen and Stuttgart, the first and only one of its kind in Baden-Württemberg. Yet, progress with rapid cycleways has been slow, primarily due to complex challenges in planning, funding allocations, and coordination among local authorities.
The creation of the cycling expressway faced similar concerns at the beginning, but turned out for the better. The rapid cycleway in Esslingen, which is to connect Reichenbach/Fils and Stuttgart, was initially not allowed to run through a traffic-calmed zone and then there were concerns about insufficient parking spaces. Progress on this route has been slow for years due to objections from local decision-makers.
Despite these setbacks, Hermann's efforts have led to signposts indicating near and far destinations as well as tourist routes becoming commonplace in the country. The Netherlands, with its 400 kilometers of cycling expressways, serves as an inspiration for Hermann, who wishes for similar developments in his homeland.
In 2016, Hermann envisioned ten rapid cycleways as part of his cycling strategy, but progress has been slow. There are currently 23 rapid cycleways in the planning or construction phase, a testament to Hermann's continued commitment.
Looking ahead, Hermann believes that his work will bear fruit even beyond his announced departure in 2026. He acknowledges that many more cycle paths and a lot of persuasion are needed to significantly reduce car traffic. Despite initial enthusiasm from affected parties, Hermann did not anticipate the lack of willingness and courage to move towards sustainable mobility solutions.
Over the past ten years, 800 kilometers of cycle paths have been created in the country. While this is a significant achievement, Hermann's ultimate goal of noticeably reducing the share of car traffic still eludes him. As he looks enviously at the progress made in the Netherlands, Hermann remains optimistic that his vision for a more sustainable Germany will become a reality.
[1] Sustainable Mobility in Baden-Württemberg: Challenges and Opportunities. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.bwm.de/SharedDocs/DE/Themen/Nachhaltigkeit/Verkehr/Verkehr-und-Nachhaltigkeit.html
[2] The State of Cycling in Germany. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.adfc.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Adfc/Dokumente/Fahrrad/Staat-des-Fahrrads/Staat-des-Fahrrads-2020.pdf
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