From Hildburg Bruns
Packed, all 120 seats in the Erdinger-Oberstübchen on Gendarmenmarkt occupied. “It’s time we looked ahead,” says wine merchant Anja Schröder at the panel discussion of the action alliance “Save Friedrichstrasse”.
Resident lawyer Marcel Templin has lodged an objection with the Mitte district office against the motor vehicle ban that has been in force since the end of January on the 500-meter section between Leipziger and Französischer Straße.
On this evening, however, there are no Green representatives of the district office in sight – the mayor and the responsible city councilor have appointment problems!
Next Friday, the controversial mandatory pedestrian zone is an issue in the coalition negotiations between the CDU and SPD.
(from left) State Secretary Christian Gäbler (SPD), wine merchant Anja Schröder, Nils Busch-Petersen, General Manager of the Berlin-Brandenburg Trade Association Photo: Hildburg Bruns
► The freshly elected CDU top dog Lucas Schal: “I would like us to restore the normal state, the status as before.”
► Robert Rückel (IHK): “We can’t talk about a single street, we have to look at the entire city center.”
► State Secretary Christian Gaebler (SPD) criticizes both the former traffic attempt of the green-led traffic administration as a “bicycle expressway” and the current sight with “wooden blocks”. He cannot say whether it will be open again for motor vehicle traffic. But that the tradespeople will be involved differently in the future. There must be a sensible solution that upgrades Friedrichstrasse.
► Fast remedy demanded Nils Busch-Petersen (Trade Association) on the parallel Charlottenstraße, which has winding, opposing sections with one-way streets: “There is danger ahead. That calls for accidents.” In principle, changes can be made more quickly here because this road was not partially dedicated to motor vehicle traffic.
And Friedrichstrasse? Many residents talk their frustration off their chests, some are demanding that it be a top priority for the Senate. The fact remains: The Mitte district would have to revoke the so-called de-designation for cars – but the Greens’ responsibility there has not changed even after the repeat election.
Busch-Petersen does not want to accept that the pedestrian zone will not be structurally redesigned until 2026: “Then the street will no longer play a role for shopping.” The vacancy rate in the shops is already the highest compared to all shopping streets in Germany.