Traffic Senator Bettina Jarasch sets the wrong priorities
Because subways are rarely built in Berlin and are mainly talked about, stringent communication between political actors would be of particular importance. That’s exactly what Traffic Senator Bettina Jarasch (Greens) is missing these days. She has repeatedly stated that an extension of the U7 to Heerstraße is more important than expanding the line to BER – only to now push the second project first. Who should understand that?
Even the justification is poor. They finally want clarity as to whether the airport subway project has a future. Because the doubts about it are indeed great. The costs of the aspect are immense and would have to be borne primarily by the small district of Dahme-Spreewald. The state of Brandenburg is reluctant to make financial commitments – and in all likelihood it will remain so.
Christian Latz is an editor in the state political office and reports on mobility issues.
In other words: The subway extension to BER has long been politically dead. With her step of supposedly wanting to tackle the project, Bettina Jarasch finally puts it under the ground.
Prioritizing the subway extension to BER will do nothing for Berlin
It would be one less major project that you groaning house would have in mind among the many tasks. The price: The plans for the subway extension to Heerstraße-Nord only start a little later. So what does the senator really gain, especially Berlin, by taking this step? Nothing.
It would not have made any difference for the future of the route to BER if the project with a lower priority had only come into focus later. The planning of the Spandau route would have started at least a little earlier.
The much more decisive debate is lost from sight: Does Berlin need new underground lines – and if so, which ones? From the point of view of many motorists, the subway sounds like the only acceptable means of local transport. Anyone who pushes such a major project forward as a politician, and even cuts the ribbon at the opening at some point, can be celebrated by the voters.
With all the emotionality, the facts quickly fall by the wayside. Because there are also transport policy doubts about the extension to Heerstraße. Trams could be more suitable for the local connection in Spandau.
come up short for other, meaningful lines, like an extension of the U9 to Pankow. Then it would really be about transport policy – and not just about election campaigns.