A citizen-led campaign in Berlin is collecting signatures to create a car-free center in the German capital. Engineer Oliver Collmann, co-spokesperson for the movement, says Berlin remains one of the few European capitals still heavily car-centric, with cars occupying 75-80% of street space.

The proposal would reclassify all streets inside the 37-kilometer circular railway as "car-reduced." Motorized vehicles would only be permitted for specific purposes: transporting people with restricted mobility, emergency services, or large commercial deliveries. Each resident would be allowed to drive their private car in the center up to 12 times per year.

Collmann insists the law is not anti-car but against overuse and oversized vehicles. He believes the changes would lead to cleaner air, less noise, and more space for trees, improving public health and reducing heat.

However, Oliver Lah, adjunct professor at Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden, argues that prohibition is not the answer. He advocates providing what people actually want and finding consensus among businesses and residents.

Other European cities have experimented with traffic reduction. Oslo implemented a car-free program in 2017, resulting in a 28% traffic decline by 2020. Paris introduced limited traffic zones in its center in 2024, reducing through-traffic by 6-8%.

Berlin campaigners have until May 8 to collect signatures from at least 7% of eligible voters. If successful, residents could vote in a referendum later this year that would shape the heart of their city.

Source: www.dw.com