Transport Minister Volker Wissing has plans that some German drivers will not like: he wants to make Germany a cycling country. At the Traffic Court Day in Goslar, Wissing spoke out in favor of significantly improving the cycling infrastructure and ensuring wider cycle paths – at the expense of motorists.
Minister of Transport: Germany is becoming a cycling country
The country of Volkswagen, Mercedes and Porsche is to become the country of e-bikes, cargo bikes and velomobiles. Transport Minister Volker Wissing from the FDP advocated this in a lecture to experts. Among other things, he should modal transport should be promotedin which, for example, a bicycle is driven to the station in order to change to the train there.
In general, Wissing wants them Improving cycling infrastructure in Germany. According to him, bicycles “have a different value today than in the past”. His plan therefore also provides for better parking facilities in the form of bicycle parking garages at train stations, as can already be found in some cities (source: Next Mobility).
For another demand, Wissing refers to the fact that some people still find cycling in cities unsafe. Cycle paths should therefore be separated from the rest of the traffic, as is also required by associations such as the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC). According to Wissing, a “good bike path” comes at a time Width of 2.5 meters in each direction. In Germany, “something would go wrong” if parents preferred to take their children to school by car rather than by bike.
The traffic court day in Goslar, where Wissing gave his lecture, is considered that most important meeting of professionals in Germany. Over 1,000 people from more than a dozen European countries are taking part in this year’s court day.
Even small mobile homes are now available for bicycles:
FDP no longer laughs at cargo bikes
The FDP is not only because of the Proximity of party leader Lindner to Porsche said to have a certain affinity with cars. Unlike Lindner, who was still publicly amused about the promotion of cargo bikes in 2021, Wissing has now also clearly committed himself to bicycles.