Huge resistance: 38,000 signatures against the Hanover-Bielefeld ICE route!

Huge resistance: 38,000 signatures against the Hanover-Bielefeld ICE route!

Deutsche Bahn's plans for a new ICE high-speed line between Hanover and Bielefeld are encountering considerable resistance. A committed citizens' initiative, WiduLand, has collected over 38,000 signatures against the project in the last few weeks. This petition entitled “Rethink Germany's Pact' calls for a recalculation of the Germany's Pace and was handed over to the Petitions Committee in Berlin on Wednesday. The initiators see a revision of the plans as an opportunity for a sustainable transport policy that takes both people and the environment into account.

A few days ago, the impressive number of around 38,000 signatures was reached, of which over 31,000 were collected on paper, while 6,600 were added online. This initiative is supported not only by WiduLand, but also by other groups such as the Westphalian-Lippian Agricultural Association and local rural women. How NDR reports, the Bundestag should now deal with the demands of the petition and thus lay the foundations for a possible redesign of the transport network.

Rationale behind the petition

The citizens' initiative calls, among other things, for the abandonment of new express routes and a reduction in the maximum speed on long-distance transport. The initiators argue that expanding the existing rail network is both more climate-friendly and more cost-effective. The new routes planned so far are intended to enable a maximum speed of 300 km/h and radically shorten the travel time between Hanover and Bielefeld from 48 to 31 minutes. But resistance in East Westphalia is growing because the projections show that the construction plans are not only dubious, but also have the potential to negatively influence people, nature and the existing infrastructure. Loud World The criticism of the new building plans is not only loud at the regional level, but there are similar initiatives throughout Germany.

The Action Alliance for Railway Citizens' Initiatives in Germany (ABBD) supports the citizens' initiatives and aims to promote a common approach. With over 40 committed citizens' initiatives, the alliance advocates for sensible transport policy and real citizen participation. They call for a reassessment of infrastructure projects taking environmental and climate protection into account as well as better involvement of citizens in planning processes, which is currently often criticized as insufficient. FIG emphasizes that a rethinking of transport policy is urgently needed in order to overcome the diverse social and ecological challenges.

The consequences and what happens next

There will likely be significant restrictions for rail travelers in northern Germany in the next few months. The examination of possible corridors for the new route is nearing completion. The petition that has now been submitted could potentially mark a turning point. Given the nationwide dimension of the resistance and the increasing number of supporters, it will be interesting to see whether political decision-makers will respond to citizens' concerns and consider alternative solutions. Finally, a systematic overhaul of the German clock could ensure a sustainable and fair transport policy that takes into account both the needs of travelers and the demands on our planet.