States and municipalities to invest 260 million euros in cycle paths

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Cycle path in Berlin: Gaps to be closed

Photo: via www.imago-images.de / imago images/serienlicht

Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) is calling on states and municipalities to invest more in cycle paths and to call up funds available for this purpose. "I say to the states and municipalities: Please take the money and invest it," Wissing told the Rheinische Post. I feel it is a great lack of safety if gaps in cycle paths are not closed.«

2024 million euros are available for 260

Wissing added: "With little money, we can turn a cycle path of many kilometres from a piecemeal structure into a valuable infrastructure." Only if the available 2024 million euros were also called up in 260 would he have "any basis at all to lobby the finance minister for more money for 2025," the minister said.

Wissing rejected the accusation that he wanted to save on the expansion of the cycle path. "Objection. Cycling is primarily the responsibility of the states and municipalities," said the FDP politician. The federal government provides support wherever it can.«

Additional funds through climate protection programme

In this legislative period, a total of 2.9 billion euros would be available for the promotion of cycling. "Of this, 425 million euros will be allocated to the 2024 financial year," Wissing said. As part of the immediate climate protection programme, additional funds were also made available for the promotion of cycling in 2022 and 2023.

»The road will continue to grow in importance as a mode of transport«

At the same time, Wissing defended billions of dollars in investments in new roads and highways. "The road will continue to grow in importance as a mode of transport. That's what all the forecasts say," Wissing told the Rheinische Post. For example, a significant increase of 54 percent in freight transport by road is expected. This is difficult to achieve with the existing network.

"We will therefore increase the total expenditure on federal highways in the coming years and then reach a level of twelve billion euros per year from 2025, of which around nine billion euros will be for investments," said the Minister of Transport.

Wissing rejected the accusation that he was promoting motorways at the expense of climate protection. "This accusation is nonsense. As Minister of Transport, I pursue growth-oriented policies. On the other hand, if you don't want the road anymore, you don't want any more growth," said the FDP politician. This means a loss of prosperity and a threat to social cohesion. "Only those who are economically successful can finance climate protection. The money we need for the transformation does not fall from the sky," said Wissing.

jpa/AFP