Berlin's parliament will soon vote on sweeping proposals to severely restrict private car traffic in Berlin’s core, after the city's highest court cleared the way for a referendum.The constitutional court ruled that a "car-free Berlin" campaign can proceed with its plan to ban most private vehicles from a 34 square mile area inside the city's S-Bahn commuter rail ring.Under the proposed restrictions, drivers would be limited to just 12 private car trips per year within the zone. Roads would be reserved primarily for essential vehicles, including buses, taxis, delivery vans, garbage trucks, and ambulances.Campaign organizers want to change the restricted area into a “pedestrian paradise.” They want parking spaces converted into flower gardens, outdoor cinemas, and children's playgrounds. .The plan also calls for extensive pedestrian zones and cleaner air throughout the downtown core.The initiative aims to slash traffic volume by two-thirds while imposing a 30 kilometre per hour speed limit on remaining vehicles.The proposal gained support in 2020 when the petition collected 50,000 signatures, which is more than double the number required to trigger referendum preparations. However, Berlin's Senate challenged the initiative in court, arguing the measures were so extreme they could violate constitutional rights.The court ruling rejected those arguments. Judges determined that drivers do not have a constitutional right to unrestricted public road use, making the initiative legally permissible..The decision now forces Berlin's State Parliament to vote on the draft "law for road use for the common good." If lawmakers reject the proposal, campaigners can force a city-wide referendum by collecting signatures from at least seven percent of Berlin's electorate, roughly 170,000 people.Campaign organizers celebrated the court victory with plans for an electronic dance music party. "Now that the constitutional court has given the green light, as soon as parliament holds its hearing, we can finally enter the second phase of signature collection," said the organizers.Environmental groups praised the ruling as a breakthrough for urban planning. Lena Donat, a transport expert with Greenpeace Germany, welcomed the opportunity for public debate about car dependency.."It's important to discuss how many cars we want to impose on our cities," said Donat."The court has now made this discussion possible."Donat pointed to traffic restriction successes in major cities like Paris and Barcelona as proof that prioritizing people over vehicles improves urban life."These developments show what cities gain when they put people rather than cars centre-stage: more safety and space, better air, and a higher quality of life," said Donat.The Berlin initiative represents one of Europe's most ambitious urban traffic restriction proposals, potentially setting a precedent for other major cities.
