Good morning Bremen! Covid-19 has been dominating our lives for a few months now,  and since 22nd March 2020 you told us to go into lock-down

This is what you want us to do , you just extended it to 3rd May and you are also threatening us with harsh fines, if we don’t stick to the rules.

But sorry, there is a tiny problem, (we told you already). In our streets all the distance we are supposed to keep is not possible. Why?  There are too many parked cars, and not enough space for pedestrians and cyclists on the road.

It’s not as if this is something out of the ordinary, dear Bremen.  You would not be alone in this, there are loads of cities already on their way. Have a look:

Berlin:

• https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/mensch-metropole/in-berlin-tauchen-die-naechsten-provisorischen-radstreifen-auf-li.80829
• Berlin is also developing a plan for temporary protected bike lanes
• https://www.berlin.de/senuvk/verkehr/politik_planung/rad/infrastruktur/download/Regelplaene_Radverkehrsanlagen.pdf
• And here are pix by PeterBroytman (née Feldkamp): https://qimby.net/user/peter.feldkamp@gmx.net?fbclid=IwAR1sqpD_sOIOtyU0Sce5tFaKbrqGtb6zgw1SZDq-Pg-A2MjN0ra5ojEgTDc
• Mikael Colville-Andersen is happy with Berlin’s plans: https://twitter.com/colvilleandersn/status/1248645263457214464

Edinburgh, Scotland:

• https://www.thenational.scot/news/18414974.edinburgh-close-read-roads-help-residents-maintain-distance/

Oakland, California

•  https://www.ktvu.com/news/oakland-to-restrict-cars-on-74-miles-of-streets-paving-way-for-pedestrians-and-bicyclists

Neuseeland:

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2020/04/13/new-zealand-first-country-to-fund-pop-up-bike-lanes-widened-sidewalks-during-lockdown/#3e7dec25546e

Bogotà:

• https://www.smartcitiesworld.net/news/news/bogota-expands-bike-lanes-overnight-to-curb-coronavirus-spread-5127

Vacouver:

• https://bc.ctvnews.ca/vancouver-mulls-street-closures-to-make-physical-distancing-easier-for-pedestrians-1.4872205

New York

• https://eurweb.com/2020/03/28/new-yorkers-to-have-more-street-access-during-coronavirus-quarantine/
• https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2020/03/30/op-ed-lets-build-a-network-of-quiet-streets/

Paris:

• https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/sante-sciences/coronavirus-la-ville-de-paris-fermes-les-voies-sur-berge-de-la-seine-aux-pietons-1584714657

Wien:

• https://wien.orf.at/stories/3041539/

What do our NGOs say?

ADFC Bremen (Bremen Cycling Association)

• http://www.adfc-bremen.de/news/news-details/datum////trotz-und-wegen-corona-aktive-mobilitaet-staerken-der-adfc-fordert-popup-bikelanes-fuer-bremen.html?fbclid=IwAR1bn9bbkFPh1buFLJswHQ7NMzDa4vM2Z8rIFLs4KsYOQz351ucWoZudG3g
• Buten un Binnen

ADFC Bundesverband (German cycling association):

• ADFC Bundesgeschäftsführer Burkhard Stork : https://twitter.com/BurkhardStork
• https://qimby.net/user/peter.feldkamp@gmx.net?fbclid=IwAR1sqpD_sOIOtyU0Sce5tFaKbrqGtb6zgw1SZDq-Pg-A2MjN0ra5ojEgTDc
• Und per Twitter ADFC zur Lage in Berlin: https://twitter.com/ADFC_Berlin/status/1247961559709745155

Friends of the Earth in Bremen (BUND Bremen) wants a car free inner city now:

• https://www.bund-bremen.net/presse/detail/news/mehr-platz-fuer-zu-fuss-gehen-und-radfahren-in-corona-zeiten/

FUSS e.V. (Pedestrians’ association) und ADFC Bremen:

• https://www.weser-kurier.de/bremen/bremen-stadt_artikel,-wege-aus-der-enge-_arid,1908004.html.

There is a lot of work to do, but wouldn’t it be worth for us, for your citizens?