German drivers could be banned from reversing out of parking spaces under Green proposal

Under the proposal, drivers in Kiel would enter a parking space frontways and then continue forward once they are ready to leave, instead of reversing out of it
Under the proposal, drivers in Kiel would enter a parking space frontways and then continue forward once they are ready to leave, instead of reversing out of it

German drivers could be banned from reversing out of parking spaces under plans by the Green party to reduce the rate of traffic accidents.

Alke Voß, the Greens’ mobility officer in the northern city of Kiel, is seeking to pass new local rules that would require forward-facing parking spaces in large car parks.

Under the proposal, drivers in Kiel would enter a parking space from the front and then continue forward once they are ready to leave, instead of reversing out of it.

But some Right-wingers have cried foul over the idea they argue is part of a wider climate agenda to make life more difficult for motorists.

Ms Voß said the ban on reversing could significantly reduce the number of driving accidents in Kiel and contribute towards the long-term goal of “Vision Zero”, a global policy initiative to prevent car deaths and injuries.

She was referring to official statistics in Schleswig-Holstein, where Kiel is located, which state that 27.2 per cent of traffic incidents in the state involve errant reversing.

‘Eco-friendly madness’

The proposal has caused consternation in Kiel, with a regional branch of the hard-Right Alternative Fuer Deutschland (AfD) party branding it eco-friendly “madness”.

Volker Schnurrbusch, an AfD MP in the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament, told The Telegraph: “This is about nothing less than a continued fight against cars.

“First Kiel, then Schleswig-Holstein, then the whole of Germany could become car-free, even if it means the car industry perishes along with our crafts and trades.”

Thorben Steinbrecher, the leader of the AfD faction in Kiel, added: “We are convinced this measure is not only restrictive of citizens’ right to free choice in their form of transport, but is also sending an anti-car signal.”

The centre-Right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party said the proposal was a “classic case of over-regulation”, which would end up having a “massive impact” on parking space availability in the city centre, where spaces are already difficult to find.

The ban on reversing would apply to new residential or commercial car parks, and redesigns to existing car parks, according to local newspaper Kieler Nachrichten. Small car parks with five or fewer spaces would be exempt.

Ms Voß told the newspaper: “Current accident figures show...that accidents involving personal injury occur particularly in vehicles driving backwards.”

Long-term Vision Zero

Die Welt, a German newspaper, said the proposal is likely to be approved by city authorities, as the Greens have a power-sharing agreement with the governing party in Kiel, the centre-Left Social Democratic Party.

According to Germany’s Road Transport Safety Council, Vision Zero is a goal to eliminate fatal road accidents and severe injuries in the long term.

Sweden was the first country to formally adopt Vision Zero in 2007, and it is also influencing traffic strategies in Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and the United States.

Vision Zero has also been adopted by Transport for London (TfL), which has set the goal of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries on its public transport systems by 2041.

On TfL’s website, it states that “major cities around the world are taking a stand to end the toll of deaths and injury seen on their roads and transport networks by committing to Vision Zero.

“London is at the forefront of this approach and the Mayor’s Transport Strategy sets out the goal that, by 2041, all deaths and serious injuries will be eliminated from London’s transport network.”

As of Friday afternoon, rumours were swirling in Kiel that the reversal ban had already been dropped by the Greens due to the backlash.

A CDU party source said a Greens motion to discuss the proposal at a committee hearing next week had mysteriously vanished from the agenda.