Car-free model fails: Hanover goes back to pure cars
The Green mayor actually wanted to create a true miracle of transport policy. "Car-free" meant "no car too many" in the city. He wanted to reduce lanes, virtually abolish parking spaces in the city centre and focus on walking and cycling. The SPD has now pulled the ripcord and cancelled the coalition with the Greens. They want to focus on "low car use". This seems more like a paraphrase for "continuing the status quo".
The red-green coalition in Hanover has failed. The Green mayor Belit Onay had been aiming to make Hanover's city centre car-free since 2020. He wanted to abolish car parks and traffic lights to make it easier for people to walk and cycle. However, his coalition partner, the SPD, took a critical view of this plan. They preferred a 'low-car' rather than a car-free city centre and complained that they had been informed of the Greens' plans too late. As a result, the SPD pulled the ripcord and cancelled the coalition.
This failure highlights the difficulties on the road to an environmentally friendly transport policy. The introduction of environmental and zero-emission zones is an important step towards reducing CO2 emissions in cities and improving air quality. These measures are not only necessary from an environmental point of view, but also from a health perspective. Air pollution is a serious threat to the health of city dwellers.
The call for car-free city centres is an ambitious goal, but one that meets with considerable resistance. Similar initiatives have failed not only in Hanover, but also in other cities such as Berlin. There is often a lack of the necessary political support and a broad social consensus.
In times of climate change, however, we urgently need to rethink our mobility. We must reduce our dependence on cars in order to reduce our CO2 emissions and change our thinking now in order to protect future generations. The focus should not only be on private transport, but also on public transport and the infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists.
It is regrettable that politicians are often slow to respond to these challenges. The termination of the red-green coalition in Hanover shows that there is a lack of courage and determination to drive forward the necessary changes. It is clear that change cannot come overnight. But without a clear vision and the political will to realise it, we will not be able to take the necessary steps to combat climate change. The courage of politicians also includes communicating with the population in order to highlight opportunities and bring about a change in thinking in car-loving Germany.
Other European countries have shown time and again that difficult decisions can be successful without consensus. This was the case, for example, with the introduction of the road toll in Stickholm or the construction of the superblocks in Barcelona. It is clear that many Germans cannot imagine their cities without cars. They don't recognise the advantages of green, quiet and safe streets if they haven't experienced them. And they are afraid of losing their freedom due to the restrictions of car traffic.
But the fact is, we won't get anywhere like this. We need decisions to finally bring about a turnaround. It is time for politicians to take the transport revolution seriously and make bold decisions to make our cities more liveable and healthier. The end of the coalition in Hanover should be a wake-up call for politicians to finally take decisive action for climate protection and sustainable mobility.