Bus lanes are to be set up in Ringslebenstraße and on Britzer Damm in southern Neukölln before the end of this year. This was initiated by the Senate Department for the Environment and Transport.

The district office was not involved in the decision, said city councilor Jochen Biedermann (Greens) at the last district assembly (BVV) at the request of the CDU.

Their deputy, Karsten Schulze, complained that no citizen participation had taken place to plan the bus lanes. The bus lanes are designed to improve the speed and reliability of public transport. There are sometimes no parking spaces during the day in some places.

When arranging bus lanes, there is basically no public participation, said Biedermann. This is not provided for in either the Mobility Act or the Road Traffic Act. In addition, in this case it is questionable which citizens should be involved at all – all residents? The users of the bus lines? A patchwork quilt is not effective, said Biedermann.

“However, the district office has made it clear several times that it considers it very important to inform residents and tradespeople at an early stage and that this should definitely be done. At the same time, the district office is responsible for checking whether and at which points adjustments are sensible and necessary under its own responsibility, for example the establishment of delivery zones in the adjacent side streets,” Biedermann continued.

Bus lanes are planned on Britzer Damm between Mohriner and Fulhamer Allee, Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Between Fulhamer Allee and Hermannstraße, the lanes should apply Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In Ringslebenstraße, the lane between Heiderunnerweg and Buckower Damm should apply Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The CDU has been dealing with the topic for a long time: the Neukölln MP Christopher Förster had already asked the Senate about this in the spring. In doing so, he did not doubt the usefulness of the bus lanes in general, but rather the lack of participation by residents, which Schulze also criticized.

“Contradiction from civil society – even if it is only possible – is nipped in the bud. The residents who were particularly affected are presented with a fait accompli and new traffic signs overnight,” Förster said in April, describing the Senate’s approach as “completely unacceptable”.

Förster himself is also affected by the lack of parking spaces, his citizens’ office is located on the corresponding section of Britzer Damm. And the bus lanes may not be quite as night and foggy as Förster portrays them, even if they have been publicly discussed since March.