Two plus-energy refurbishments in Neu-Ulm

• Other countries are leading the way: Spain adopts 30 km/h speed limit in cities; French cities with 30 km/h speed limit have 70 percent fewer fatal accidents
• Federal government fails "Vision Zero" and ignores 30 km/h as an immediate measure in key points paper for new road safety programme
• Current United Nations Road Safety Week identifies reduction of speed limit to 30 km/h in built-up areas as key measure to protect lives

Berlin, 19.5.2021: The German Environmental Aid (DUH) renews its demand for a reduced speed limit of 30 km/h in built-up areas as an immediate measure to prevent traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Last week, Spain reduced the speed limit on main roads to 30 km/h with immediate effect. The United Nations Road Safety Week is currently underway under the slogan #love30. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also called for a global 30 km/h speed limit in towns and villages.

To do this Jürgen Resch, federal managing director of DUH: "More and more countries are leading the way and proving that 30 km/h in built-up areas not only reduces the number and severity of traffic accidents, but also reduces noise pollution, improves air quality and enhances the quality of life. In our neighbouring country France, 30 km/h speed limits have already been in force in 200 cities since 2020 and have led to a 70 percent reduction in fatal accidents there. Our call for 30 km/h in built-up areas, which is now also supported by the World Health Organization, is consistent and should be implemented in Germany before the end of 2021. It is now well known that Mr Scheuer is not adopting any sensible measures to increase road safety. However, at least from the Greens we expect a clear positioning here: no coalition agreement without 30 km/h in our cities!"

The rapid implementation of 30 km/h is particularly urgent because the German government has failed miserably with the "Vision Zero" goal enshrined in the coalition agreement. By 2020, the number of accident fatalities was supposed to be reduced by 40 percent. With the measures taken by the Federal Government, there has only been a meagre 25 percent reduction in accident fatalities since 2010. Since the end of 2020, moreover, Germany has had to manage entirely without a current road safety programme because the old programme has expired. Nevertheless, the federal government's key issues paper, which serves as the basis for the new road safety programme 2021-2030, completely ignores a reduction in the speed limit as a solution.

Link
Vote for a speed limit now! www.duh.de/tempolimit-jetzt

Source: DUH-PM from 19.5.2021

Keywords:
Bike-/Velo-City, DE-News, Climate protection, Mobility, News Blog Europe (without DE), Sufficiency, Transition Town, Environmental policy