Category Archives: Richard Grassick

All posts by RIchard

One Hundred and Eighty Kilotons

What can cycling do to reduce CO2 emissions in Bremen? Here we calculate what has been done, what hasn’t, and what can be done in the coming decade.

With Fridays for Future developing a regular presence on the streets of Bremen, a transport transition blog like Bremenize must surely be asking – what can cycling do in response to the climate emergency? Generalised answers to this question abound in the cycling advocacy world, amongst concerned politicians, in Bremen’s new coalition agreement, and indeed amongst Fridays for Future activists, or at least amongst those living in a country with a cycling culture. Continue reading One Hundred and Eighty Kilotons →

Seeing Red

Bremen’s tortuous route to something resembling a Cycling City took another step forward this month with the re-surfacing of the oft-plagued cycle street Parkallee.

Regular readers of our blog will know that this semi-main artery for through traffic – it is one of the less-busy branches off the 30,000-vehicles-per-day Stern roundabout – has already been the subject of various traffic management experiments. In every case, proposals have involved the removal of existing cycleways on either side of the road, and their replacement with some form of on-road cycling. Each proposal has been dogged by conflicting demands. In an area with relatively high car ownership, local residents have been routinely double parking their vehicles on this dual carriageway street. Cyclists have been looking for more space than the ageing cycleways offer, not least as the street will be a key stretch of Bremen’s first Premium Cycle Route.  Continue reading Seeing Red →

Ralph Saxe – Transport Revolution In 2019?


Ralph Saxe

With Bremen’s state election looming next year, and the Greens riding high in the polls, there is a very real chance that they will form a strengthened half of any new coalition. With the two old parties declining in popularity, there is even the prospect of a Green-led government. With this in mind, we recently interviewed Ralph Saxe, transport spokesperson for the Bremen Greens, to see what they have in mind for the coming legislature.  Continue reading Ralph Saxe – Transport Revolution In 2019? →

Three Steps Forward

Where now for the Bremen Bündnis für die Verkehrswende?

Last month’s packed Car Parking conference certainly generated significant media interest, with speaker Uta Bauer interviewed by the Weser Kurier, and Radio Bremen’s Buten un Binnen doing a major feature on the issue. (from 9min 34sec). You can read a full report of the conference here (google translated from German).

Continue reading Three Steps Forward →

Kids or Cars?

The hilarious everyday experience of transport campaigns in Bremen (an extract)

– Temporary play street: Turned down

– Application for cycle stands and bollards on pavements to keep the street entrance clear for emergency vehicles: Turned down– Illegal parking on the pavement: Silently tolerated by the authorities

– Application for residents’ parking: Under discussion

– Special slow zone (Begegnungszone) in front of the elementary school: Application coming up, because existing bans on parking are ignored

Continue reading Kids or Cars? →