Less traffic in cities and climate-friendly mobility - that is what many German citizens want when it comes to housing. However, not all measures to improve the quality of life that are currently being discussed are popular. Speed limits are widely accepted, but a congestion charge is not, as a survey by the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research (RWI ) shows.
In recent years, more and more cars have come onto the road that are very large, consume a lot of petrol and can drive faster. Germany is still the only country in Europe without a speed limit. Environmental groups and road safety organisations are therefore calling for the introduction of a general speed limit on German motorways. A speed limit of 120 km/h on motorways, 80 km/h on rural roads and 30 km/h in urban areas would immediately reduce CO2 emissions, argues the German Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation.
The RWI study analysed the acceptance of 25 transport policy measures among the German population for the year 2024. If transport policy makes alternatives to the car more attractive, most respondents agree. If, on the other hand, car transport becomes more expensive or less attractive, approval among the population decreases.
A previously controversial measure now enjoys a high level of approval: 63% of respondents are in favour of introducing a 130 km/h speed limit on motorways. Approval of an increase in car parking charges has also risen. However, the results of the RWI also show that approval of the 25 measures surveyed varies greatly.
The least popular option among respondents was a car tax premium - a cash payment in return for deregistering a combustion engine - with an approval rating of 19 per cent. Similarly unpopular are the congestion charge, a ban on new cars with combustion engines from 2035 and a general car toll with approval ratings of between 22 and 24 per cent. In contrast, around 73 per cent of respondents are in favour of expanding cycle paths. The continuation of the Deutschlandticket also received a high level of approval with around 70 per cent. This is followed by the designation of bus and train lanes on congested roads with 67 per cent.
Photo: © Pascal König, Pixabay
