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New construction of the Neuenkamp motorway bridge on the A40: if the FDP has its way, new roads should also be approved more quickly
Photo: Jochen Tack / IMAGO
The FDP urges the co-governing Greens to accelerate the construction of road projects.
"The expansion of our infrastructure is central to our business location - there can be no two opinions," said FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr.
Therefore, he was surprised to hear that the Greens "suddenly had concerns".
"After all, we agreed in the coalition agreement that we want to halve the planning and approval procedures for all projects." That applies to the expansion of renewable energies as well as to road construction projects.
The dispute in the coalition was sparked by a draft by the FDP-led transport department for a “law to speed up approval procedures”.
It states that "to speed up the implementation of projects in the area of federal trunk roads, federal railways and federal waterways", among other things, an earlier start of construction should be made possible.
The pace at which new terminals for the import of liquefied natural gas were launched this year is a model.
The Greens criticize Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) and also refer to the coalition agreement.
It was agreed there that the expansion of rail and climate-friendly mobility should be a priority, said traffic expert Stefan Gelbhaar.
That's what you should focus on.
The transport department should quickly return to it.
(Read more about this here .)
This Wednesday, the federal government invited more than 160 organizations to the so-called infrastructure dialogue for the first time.
Environmental groups such as the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz in Deutschland (BUND) express doubts as to “whether a real dialogue is even possible”.
From their point of view, the Federal Transport Routes Plan 2030, which originated from the penultimate federal government, would have to be reviewed first.
In the traffic light coalition, on the other hand, the view seems to be gaining ground that they no longer want to touch the old plan and only want to set new priorities such as climate protection for the upcoming traffic route plan up to 2040.
Controversial motorway projects such as the A100 in Berlin or the A20 in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony would continue to count as "urgent needs".
These buildings, decided in earlier times,
could therefore be accelerated even further with the new law.
If, on the other hand, they were subject to a climate check, they would probably be stopped.
SPD open to accelerated road construction
FDP man Dürr said he wanted the Greens "to bring this important law by Volker Wissing through the Bundestag together with us".
The parliamentary Secretary of State for Transport, Oliver Luksic (FDP), also emphasized that the coalition agreement had agreed to halving the planning times for infrastructure.
"Bridges and cycle paths are also roadways, it's difficult to artificially divide them into good and bad infrastructure," he told SPIEGEL.
The SPD positions itself between the two coalition partners.
The Social Democratic parliamentary group deputy Detlef Müller emphasized that the priority of railway lines agreed in the coalition agreement is still valid.
When it comes to waterways and roads, the most important thing is rehabilitation.
Closures due to acute deficiencies and security concerns must be prevented at all costs, because “they restrict mobility in entire regions”.
Unlike the Greens, however, the transport politician did not expressly oppose new construction projects: "We must succeed in implementing infrastructure projects faster that serve the future viability of our country."
Union traffic expert Thomas Bareiß criticized the dispute in the coalition.
"With such an important issue, the traffic light must not waste any more time," said the CDU politician.
Planning and construction processes need to be noticeably shortened – how else are you going to tackle the renovation and renewal of 400 bridges a year?
That will not work with "the green prevention mentality".
koe/ahh/dpa
