Green Party Urges Priority Snow Clearing for Pedestrian and Cycle Paths in Berlin

Severe winter conditions have persisted across Berlin and Brandenburg, leading to widespread icy surfaces and unmaintained walkways. In response to the ongoing hazards, a representative from the Green Party has called for a reorganization of snow and ice clearing priorities throughout the city.

Currently, Berlin's snow removal efforts focus primarily on clearing roads used by vehicles, with walkways and bicycle paths receiving secondary attention. The Green Party's transport policy spokesperson has proposed that city cleaning services should prioritize pedestrian and cycling routes before roads, citing examples from other European cities where such approaches have reportedly improved safety and efficiency.

According to the proposal, this change would not require additional financial resources but would simply alter the order in which existing services are deployed. The aim is to reduce the number of accidents resulting from untreated surfaces, which have reportedly led to a significant increase in incidents involving pedestrians and cyclists. The strain on emergency services and local hospitals has been highlighted as an indirect cost that could be mitigated by changing clearing priorities, potentially resulting in overall savings for the city.

However, Berlin's municipal cleaning service, BSR, has expressed reservations about the plan. The organization cites limited resources and an estimated increase of approximately 12,000 kilometers in the area they would need to treat if they took over responsibility for all pedestrian paths. BSR has previously rejected the proposal to extend its duties to include sidewalks, pointing to the logistical challenges posed by such a large expansion of their service area.

At present, responsibility for clearing sidewalks is distributed among various parties, including private property owners and local authorities. This fragmented system has sometimes resulted in delays or incomplete treatment, particularly around high-traffic locations such as schools and public transport stations. Recent incidents have underscored the potential consequences of these gaps, with emergency services responding to numerous accidents attributed to icy conditions.

The Green Party's proposal aims to centralize and streamline the clearing process, reducing confusion and ensuring that key pedestrian and cycling routes are made safe as quickly as possible. This approach echoes methods adopted in Nordic cities, where prioritizing non-motorized traffic infrastructure during winter months has been associated with reduced accident rates and lower public health costs.

As winter weather continues to affect the region, the discussion around snow clearing priorities remains active. City officials and service providers are assessing the feasibility and implications of reassigning responsibilities, weighing the potential benefits to public safety against the operational demands such changes would entail.