Taxpayers Federation criticizes German cycling infrastructure spending

The German Taxpayers Federation (Bund der Steuerzahler) has criticized two regional cycling infrastructure projects in its latest ‘Schwarzbuch’ (Black Book) for alleged waste of public funds.

In the district of Böblingen, approximately 900,000 euros were spent to rebuild a 370-meter section of a bicycle path between Aidlingen and Dagersheim. The project aimed to reduce a slope that previously reached 17 percent. The association criticized the high costs, noting that the use of specialized stabilization techniques and the expensive disposal of contaminated soil contributed to the price. They also argued that the remaining 7 percent gradient is sufficient for e-bike riders, making the expensive reconstruction unnecessary.

In Saarland, the association flagged a 2.2 million euro project intended to reorganize and expand bicycle signage across the state's 2,300-kilometer network. The project involves replacing old green signs with a standardized white-and-green system. The Taxpayers Federation specifically questioned the 400,000 euros allocated for external consultants. The Saarland Ministry defended the expenditure, stating that the new system qualifies for federal subsidies covering 75 to 90 percent of the costs, whereas maintaining the old system would have required significantly higher self-funding.