Trams are popular.
Just not necessarily for those who live directly on the selected route.
The Greens in Darmstadt and "their" Transport Minister Tarek Al-Wazir had to experience this painfully with the now finally completed Lichtwiesenbahn project.
On the only 1200 meter long branch to the Lichtwiese campus of the Technical University of Darmstadt, there has actually been a fight for every tree in recent years;
and by all means - up to a few criminal charges against the politicians from city and country responsible for the infrastructure project, which cost a good 28 million euros.
The publicly expressed request from angry citizens to drive the harvester through the mayor's garden for every tree felled on the side of the road scared him, said town hall boss Jochen Partsch (Die Grünen).
Nevertheless, he wants to continue to make an effort in the future to “take along” the citizens and above all the residents in comparable projects.
The sum of individual interests should not be equated with the common good, said Minister Al-Wazir, who described it as "unusual" to "get a criminal complaint just because you want to build a tram".
Unlike in a dictatorship, there is “no arbitrariness” in a democracy.
According to the Green Minister, everyone is allowed to have their own and, if necessary, a different opinion.
You can't please everyone.
In concrete terms, however, every meter of rail helps to achieve the ambitious climate goals.
The electrification of bus fleets is an equally important topic.
The fact that it took almost twelve years in Darmstadt to connect the Lichtwiese campus to the city center better and in an environmentally friendly way can safely be taken as a reminder to planners and politicians: after all, Hessen wants to be climate-neutral by 2045.
Other cities can also sing a song about the difficulties in getting citizens excited about a light rail system – Wiesbaden, for example.
In Mainz, the "Mainzelbahn" is derided by some critics as a rumble railway.
Nevertheless, the tram network there is to be expanded to include a new inner-city ring line.
This may not please all residents.