Electrification of cars: "We are not the nation's gas station attendant"

As a municipality, Ottobrunn's mayor Loderer does not want to help finance the charging of e-cars.

The economy is better qualified for this.

Ottobrunn - bike paths, air filters in the classrooms, vaccination debates, finances, e-mobility and refugee accommodation in the Hotel Pazific - there was a lot to discuss at the Ottobrunn citizens' meeting in the large ballroom of the Wolf Ferrari House.

Mayor Thomas Loderer (CSU) patiently worked through the issues.

One after the other:

With bicycle lanes and cycle paths, Ottobrunn is gradually becoming more and more bicycle-friendly - there is only one permanent problem in the town center. “Global traffic problems are focussed on Putzbrunner Strasse,” says Mayor Thomas Loderer (CSU), describing the tricky traffic situation on the Ottobrunn traffic artery, on which there is not enough space to simply build a cycle path. Motorists would have to put up with the fact that bicycles are also allowed to drive on this road. You can't just honk them away. In addition, the municipality does not want to rush to implement an expensive renovation, as the double-track S-Bahn expansion planned by the railway would have massive effects on Putzbrunner Straße.

Loderer has a clear opinion on the subject of air filters in classrooms: “I don't want to avoid the bush: I don't think much of the devices,” says the mayor. If so, then he wants to buy high-performance equipment for all classrooms. So far there are 30 devices, six more have been ordered. He is also very clear on the subject of vaccination. “Personally, I would always have been in favor of mandatory vaccination,” he says.

The municipality's finances are doing well thanks to tax revenues and the economical and sensible budgeting of the administration.

With 26.1 million euros, Ottobrunn has “quite decent economic reserves,” says Loderer.

A moderate use of money should not be confused with stinginess. In the next few years, large projects, such as the Putzbrunn high school planned for 2025, would have to be financed.

"Then 26 million are quickly gone again."

Charging the e-cars

For example, for pillars for charging e-cars, Loderer would not like to reach into the community coffers.

"I think it is right that the issue of e-mobility is regulated by the market," he says.

He made contracts with private providers who then set up e-charging stations.

So far there are already six charging points at the simon Gruber car dealership, and over 20 additional pillars, such as those in front of the Phönix-Bad, are already being planned.

He supports the concept very much, but "the community is not the nation's gas station attendant."

Vehicles with trailers clog roads

After about 90 minutes of lecture on the part of the mayor, there were still questions that the citizens brought with them.

There was heated discussion about the planned accommodation for refugees in the former Hotel Pazific (we reported in detail).

Gottfried Hiesinger demanded that in future cars with larger trailers and caravans should only be allowed to unload and no longer be allowed to park, as they would clog the streets.

Thomas Loderer expressed understanding, but referred to a federal law that allows registered vehicles, even with trailers, to park.

Heinz Strey also complained about the “catastrophic parking situation” and that he couldn't build a garage on his property because there were public parking spaces.

Mayor Loderer confirmed: "If you have designated something as public parking space, it can no longer be privatized."

Refurbishment of Schillerstrasse

Barbara Senger turned to the mayor with the question of what about the redevelopment of Schillerstrasse, which has been talked about for years.

The answer was sobering: the municipality had decided to tackle this and involved the citizens, who vehemently protested against the dismantling of parking spaces.

Mayor Loderer: "Then apart from the traffic safety obligation, there will be no renovation."