Is the transport free of charge, for massive investment in Public transport needed, says traffic researcher Barbara Lenz.

the transport Is for free U-Bahn or tram to networks photo: Schöring/imago

taz: Mrs Lenz, expanded is good for the Luxembourg model as a model for Germany?

Barbara Lenz: If we have the same understanding of a free public TRANSPORT in Luxembourg, namely, as an additional incentive to use public TRANSPORT – why not? However, the difference between the current rates of public TRANSPORT promotion and the promotion that would be in the case of a free ticket would be necessary in Germany, significantly higher.

In zero rate barely animated a motorist to Change trains. The show experience in cities such as Tallinn. The hoped-for effect on the Environment is not just window-dressing?

This is not quite correct. There are certainly more passengers in public transport, if it is offered free of charge. However, the zero tariff is not enough to move the great mass of drivers for Change – not expected in Luxembourg. Calculations we have made at the DLR Institute of transport research of the topic, come to a useful rate of approximately 6 percent of today's trips with the car in the free public transport in the cities in Germany. This value appears very high, it means that the transport performance of public transport would increase by 90 percent. And the additional demand would not be spread evenly throughout the day, but especially in the main traffic periods, particularly in the morning hours and later in the afternoon. In these time Windows would be double the demand. Without massive investments in the Expansion of public TRANSPORT would not cope.

now buses and trains burst into the busy times at the seams. Should not be extended the offer, which will take years and billions of taxpayers ' money costs, before the individual traffic can be restricted?

Many public TRANSPORT companies and municipalities have already begun to develop measures that are relatively short-term. For example, fast bus services from the outskirts of the city, or from surrounding regions into the city centre specifically for commuters. You go but also long-term strategies, such as the Expansion of metro or tram networks. In both cases, it is not without considerable additional cost, there are then, in turn, less CO2 and a higher quality of life in the public space of the street.

As a workable System of tax financing look like?

to discuss Whether public transport should be direct tax-financed, would be. Also conceivable are other funding systems are, for example, through road tolls for Private Cars similar to the Truck toll collection: will be Paid for the actual use, the fees shall go bound in the funding for public TRANSPORT.

Barbara Lenz is the Director of the Institute for transport research of the DLR in Berlin.

in addition to Running suggestions for a zero tariff is not always that the Wealthy can afford to travel in their own car, the socially less fortunate must be content with the wood class?

This Argument I can not understand. Today, we are often according to our individual economic opportunities on the go. The interesting in a city like Berlin is that people from almost all the population layers of the public transport. To defame public transport as the "wood class", I think, quite simply, wrong.

What would need to tackle the Federal government, the Länder and the local authorities now quickly, to the transport problem to get the inner cities and reduce CO2 emissions due to traffic permanently?

Less car, more public transport and more use of the so-called "active" transport, bike and feet. To do this, we need the corresponding infrastructure, and also control measures that the cities make the provision and the use of private Cars in certain areas, especially in less attractive and of course. A strong public TRANSPORT as an Alternative is essential. There are indeed some really good ideas, like the Public, also beyond of colorful cushions, and improved passenger information – both of which, however, is important – to be expanded and the needs of the user inside and users of today, but also of potential new users, support groups.