German Greens demand safer streets in Gifhorn and Jena

In the Lower Saxony town of Gifhorn, the local Bündnis 90/Die Grünen faction has asked the county’s municipal oversight body to review whether the city administration adequately answered council inquiries about the implementation of the state’s “bike‑pictogram chain” regulations. The Greens argue that, under current law, cyclists must ride on the road in the sections of Braunschweiger Straße, Allerstraße and Celler Straße, and they are calling for greater transparency on how decisions are made.

In Jena, Thuringia, the Greens’ district association responded to a petition for a car‑free inner city. They welcomed the debate on traffic safety, warned against blaming cyclists, and suggested restricting motor‑vehicle access on streets such as Rathausgasse and the Löbdergraben. The party emphasised the need for clearly marked bike routes, stronger enforcement of traffic violations, and a public discussion on safe pedestrian zones.