Unconcerned about the Senate's responsibilities?
Berlin's Transport Senator, Ute Bonde (CDU), has announced a review of speed limits on certain key roads in the city. The aim is to reinstate a 50 km/h limit on major roads while maintaining the 30 km/h limit on two specific streets, striking a balance between traffic flow and safety concerns [1].
The review has identified sections of Danziger Straße in Pankow, Hermannstraße in Neukölln, Invalidenstraße in Mitte, Mariendorfer and Tempelhofer Damm in Tempelhof-Schöneberg, and Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf as those to be reconsidered [1]. Nine of these sections are near schools, kindergartens, hospitals, or nursing homes, and the 30 km/h limit will remain in place in these sensitive areas [1].
The decision to reinstate the 50 km/h limit on some main roads is aimed at reducing congestion and facilitating smoother traffic movement [1]. However, the 30 km/h zones will remain in place on streets where lower speeds are critical for the safety of all road users. This approach is part of a broader traffic policy to create a sustainable and safe urban environment, encouraging responsible driving and addressing residents' concerns about noise and safety [1].
The amended Road Traffic Regulations provide municipalities with more flexibility in setting speed limits. Bonde has stated that she does not want to preempt the new clean air plan and has announced a review of further exceptions, as the recently amended Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) also provides for speed limits on "high-frequency school routes" [1].
The Senate is scheduled to approve a noise protection plan on Tuesday, which includes a 30 km/h speed limit on 230 kilometers of main roads at night, from 10 pm to 6 am. The SPD senators are expected to rubber-stamp the approval [1]. It's possible that all 25 streets will have a 50 km/h speed limit by next week.
However, critics like BUND Berlin argue that the nighttime speed reductions are a sham and not a substitute for the withdrawal of daytime 30 km/h zones. They claim that the 50 km/h roads during the day do little to improve traffic flow and increase the risk of accidents [1]. The findings of the reviews are not yet known.
Berlin is not currently making full use of the leeway provided by the amended Road Traffic Regulations. The city is currently doing what is legally permissible, but the Road Traffic Regulations have recently been amended, giving municipalities more leeway [1].
In the future, Senator Ute Bonde may have to question whether every accident on a new 50 km/h zone is her responsibility, as the SPD passenger will be present with her in this future scenario [1].
[1] Source: Berliner Morgenpost, August 2025
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