Federated states want immediate speed limit
The conference decided in favour of a motorway speed limit. In this way, the environment ministries of the federated states want to advance climate protection and reduce dependence on fuel imports. Now the ball is in the federal government's court.
Under the impression of the Ukraine wars, environment ministers of the federated states are calling for the introduction of a speed limit on German motorways. This was decided last week at the Conference of Environment Ministers (UMK) in Wilhelmshaven. Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia expressed reservations about the proportionality and effectiveness of the measure. In the end, however, the decision was unanimous, explained Olaf Lies, chair of the conference and Lower Saxony's environment minister. Never before had such a ministerial vote been taken at the UMK.
"We must also promote climate protection through a speed limit," Lies continues. With the help of a speed limit also on German motorways, significant steps are to be taken to reduce greenhouse gas, pollutant and noise emissions. The countries' demand was also justified by the need to save energy in view of the war in Ukraine. The speed limit is "an inexpensive, quickly implementable and immediately effective measure" to reduce fuel consumption and dependence on imports. The resolution does not mention a fixed level for the required speed limit. However, the SPD politician favours a speed limit of 130 for German motorways. "In my view, unlimited speeding no longer fits the times," the leader continues. Now is the time for more economy and careful use of resources.
The measure should initially be introduced for the duration of the conflict in Ukraine. However, the environment ministries would like to see the speed limit extended and expanded. In the long term, the measure should go hand in hand with the expansion of electric mobility, as well as local public transport, in order to rethink German mobility in a greener way.
However, the UMK resolution does not have a direct legal effect. The decision is now in the hands of the federal government, at which level a speed limit was not included in the coalition agreement. Whether it will be possible to enforce a speed limit this time is still unclear. Finance Minister Lindner, who had already spoken out strongly against it during the traffic light negotiations, persists in his position and warns his colleagues. According to Lindner, it would be counterproductive to use the argument of the war to dispose of agreements from the coalition agreement.