When it comes to traffic, waves run high in Giessen.

The debate ignited above all on the inner plant ring, which is to be reduced from two car lanes to one so that cyclists have more space.

More than 1,400 signatures were collected in autumn 2019 for a corresponding citizens’ application, which the city parliament approved at the request of the SPD and the Greens in February 2021;

only 860 would have been necessary.

Anyone who had their primary residence in Giessen was allowed to take part.

A time window of six months was originally planned for the realization of the "traffic test", the cost of which is estimated at 800,000 euros.

This deadline expired in September last year because there were repeated delays at the political level.

City councilor Gerda Weigel-Greilich, who is responsible for urban planning, recently commissioned a report from the Greens in December, the results of which should be available in May.

“After all, we want it to be done well,” she explains.

A balance sheet is drawn up after one year.

Weigel-Greilich hopes that there will then be “no need for dismantling, which would be possible in principle.

But political majorities can of course change.”

The city is to become carbon neutral by 2035

The project was initiated by an autonomous group of young people.

Oliver Jenschke, one of the initiators, reports that the atmosphere at the city council meeting, in which he presented the citizens' application, was heated.

“That was not easy,” recalls the independent student of environmental sciences, who describes himself as politically active.

He and his fellow campaigners were surprised by the success of the citizens' application.

"We wanted to go the official route and see what happens," says the twenty-nine-year-old, who came to Gießen in 2013.

He now lives in Allendorf/Lumda, almost 20 kilometers away, and drives to the city every day.

According to Jenschke's perception, the situation on the streets of Gießen is tense.

His first priority is personal safety.

He believes that anyone who dares to ride the Anlagenring as a cyclist today must be suicidal.

Although there has been a cycle traffic development plan since 2010, nothing has happened so far.

In addition, the city parliament decided that Gießen should be climate-neutral by 2035.

This goal cannot be achieved with warm words and declarations of intent.

Incidentally, it is also about a fair distribution of resources in transport.

The drivers would have to give up some space.

According to Jenschke's idea, half of the traffic area should be available for cyclists and buses, the other half for cars and trucks.

The plant ring, which encloses the city center including the pedestrian zone, is only a small part of a large plan for the student.

The surrounding area and the railways should also be included in the transport policy, for example with a stop at the Philosophikum.

After all, Gießen has one of the highest proportions of students in the population of any German city.

The group in which he is active is extremely heterogeneous, says Oliver Jenschke.

There is no name, no logo, no boss.

In the open network, people outside of the political parties come together for a specific topic or action.

“There is a lot of money at the moment”

Long-established Gießen residents and business people in the city center are up in arms against the conversion of the plant ring.

However, a counter-motion to suspend the traffic test did not find a majority in Parliament.

Jenschke replies to the business people who are worried about their sales and thus their livelihood that they categorically underestimate the proportion of customers who come directly from next door - and therefore by bike.

You wouldn't have to worry.