Dozens of cities around Europe marked European Car Free Day on Friday, with mixed results, including in Berlin. Critics say the German capital is lagging behind its other European counterparts in terms of reducing car usage in the city centre.
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00:00 Dozens of cities around Europe are marking World Car Free Day with mixed results.
00:05 In Berlin, while many enjoyed more fluid commutes on bicycles or public transport, automobiles
00:10 were still very much in use.
00:12 According to critics, the German capital is lagging behind its European counterparts when
00:17 it comes to reducing car traffic in the city centre.
00:19 "I have no hope for this legislature.
00:21 The CDU has proposed a draft on Friday to change the mobility law.
00:27 And they basically restrict all the advantages we have in terms of sustainable mobility for
00:33 people to a car-friendly city."
00:38 However, the Christian Democratic Party that took over the running of the city earlier
00:42 this year says it's simply correcting a prior unfair focus on bikes.
00:46 "There are still many regions in Berlin where there is no reasonable exclusion of public
00:52 and personal transport.
00:53 There are many, many handworks, there is a lot of delivery and economic transport.
00:56 The whole care services are still dependent on cars.
00:59 And their interests cannot be neglected.
01:01 We have to make sure that we take the interests of all car drivers into account.
01:05 And that's exactly what we have tried to do with the mobility law and the amendment now."
01:08 Meanwhile, nearly 50 Flemish cities and towns along with 19 municipalities of the Brussels
01:13 region enjoyed a car-free Sunday last weekend, with organisers hoping to show the benefits
01:18 of fewer vehicles on the road.
01:20 In Paris, from 10am until 6pm, cyclists and pedestrians ruled the streets around the iconic
01:26 Arc de Triomphe.
01:27 [WHOOSH]