Car vs. bicycle in the city of Hanover
After the World War, Hanover was a pioneer for the automobile. Now it will be the city again, with bicycle routes and a city cycle ring for bicycles.
Hanover – The change makes a change in mobility necessary. This is what drives many cities, and the German Association of Cities is also committed to sustainable mobility. And it is precisely this mobility that makes Hannover tangible and seems up to date again. One or the other may rub their eyes, but it’s true. Review: After the Second World War and in view of the massive destruction, the city was to be planned in a modern way and “car-friendly” according to the understanding at the time – with multi-lane streets, a city ring. A role model for other cities.
All of this no longer applies to urban planning, and climate change makes a turnaround necessary again. This is what drives many cities, and the German Association of Cities is also committed to sustainable mobility. And Hanover? Works on turning and – will cycle in the future.
Mobility change in Hanover: the state capital is cycling towards the future
The bike seems to be the new car. Between 2002 and 2017, the proportion of bicycle traffic in the city’s total traffic increased from 13 percent to around 19 percent, explains Tim Gerstenberger, traffic planner in Hanover. And in the future? Mayor Belit Onay announced that the aim is to reach a share of 40 percent.
“That cannot be achieved from scratch,” admits the Green politician. But: “There’s more to come.” Onay likes to ride his bike often – and he’s not the only one in the city: At an electronic counting point on the beautiful Maschsee in Hanover, the clock shows over 500,000 cyclists this year alone.
A network of bicycle routes ensures mobility
But the infrastructure has to be right, as Belit Onay emphasizes. One of the solutions: a network of cycle routes, starting from the City-Rad-Ring in the city center in all districts, a total of over 90 kilometers and twelve cycle routes, one of which in the direction of Laatzen can be completed quickly. By 2027 or 2028 everything should be finished “except for the remaining work”, as Gerstenberger says. The goal: “A healthy mobility mix throughout the year – for the environment and for ourselves,” he says.
On to the on-site meeting with the Lord Mayor – and on a bike tour through Hanover. It shows that a lot has already happened in Hanover, even if most of the cycle routes are still being planned or are being advised by the political committees. At the Maschsee, the first bike route is more like a cycle expressway – a four meter wide asphalt lane, separated from the sidewalk, popular with cyclists as well as with inline skaters and joggers.
Mobility: More injured e-bike riders
Even if that wasn’t the goal. Considerate driving is the be-all and end-all, says Onay. Not least because, according to traffic accident statistics from the Hanover Police Department, the number of cyclists involved in accidents rose by 12.6 percent between 2017 and 2021 to 1987 – the number of e-bike riders involved in accidents even rose by 230.4 percent.
There are also changes at the intersection of Aegidientorplatz, an important traffic junction – the city is turning red, especially when viewed from above. What does that mean? The red markings for cyclists on the streets are increasing, the corresponding budget has roughly quadrupled, says Gerstenberger. This increases the visibility of cyclists and serves as a warning for motorists. Around 100 Trixi mirrors against the blind spot when turning right were also installed in the city area.
In addition, bicycle lanes have been created, marked with symbols and closed to cars in sections. The advantage: no more through traffic, but bicycle traffic can flow, explains Gerstenberger. “I think society is ready to take the next step.”
The city is helped by a judgment by the Administrative Court of Hanover – following a complaint from a resident, the court decided that a section of a street was too narrow for bicycles and cars to meet due to the number of parked cars. The city operated flights to a one-way street, re-declared it a bike street, and no longer allowed continuous parking. The court was satisfied – after an appeal earlier this year when the parking lots were removed to make room for bikes.
The will is there”
Belit Onay emphasizes that the expectation of finding parking space in front of the door no longer corresponds to the standard. Nevertheless, many people depend on the car, “we will offer solutions to them”. One can be converting parking spaces for cargo bikes, says the traffic planner. Interesting for commuters: The bunker under the main train station, which is suitable for up to 1000 bicycles, will serve as a bike station in the future, says Onay. “The will is there.” Or: Park+Ride and Bike+Ride offers will be expanded, 3,300 new parking spaces for cars and around 5,500 for bicycles are planned.
Hanover: three-meter lanes for more bicycle mobility
The bike routes, based on a suggestion by the ADFC, should be clearly recognizable and at least three meters wide. The surfaces should be of “high quality” – i.e. nice and smooth, just like cyclists love. This has its price and is worth millions: The costs for the first six bike routes are estimated at over 24 million euros, various funding pots are to be tapped.
With the connections from the city center to the city districts, a “German signal has been set”, says Eberhard Röhrig-van der Meer, chairman of the ADFC Stadt Hannover. In the corona pandemic, more people got on their bikes, and the share of cycling is now over 20 percent. He is “largely satisfied” with the delayed changes, but would like “the majority to be in place by 2026”. After all, cycling in a modern city is a sign of how future-oriented the city is.
But there is also trouble: A 45-meter-long bicycle lane, for which car traffic has to give up one lane, causes a dispute with the state transport ministry. “The Ministry of Transport has no problem with the traffic turnaround and new cycle path concepts, quite the opposite,” says a spokesman. “However, concrete measures should be compatible with the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations.”
Despite the transformation into a bicycle city, motorists should not be disadvantaged in Hanover
Motorists should not be disadvantaged, especially since car traffic does not endanger or restrict bicycle traffic – the so-called pop-up cycle path is not legal. The ministry suggested restoring the two car lanes and widening the sidewalk for authorized bicycles. The ministry that has the technical supervision would even encourage that.
Only: It would take years to follow the suggestion – there are no restrictions for motorists according to an expert report, says Belit Onay. The problem from his point of view: cars would have to make room, that has symbolic power. Should the cycle path actually disappear? He sees “no reason” for this, emphasizes Onay.