City of Jena supports the demands of the citizens' initiative "Radentscheid Jena"

In July 2021, the city of Jena set itself the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2035. Environmental modes of transport make an important contribution to achieving this goal. The city of Jena backs and supports the demands of the cycling referendum. The city council is to decide on a corresponding draft resolution on 13.10.2021.

Walking and cycling are essential elements of sustainable urban development

Mayor Christian Gerlitz, who sought talks with the citizens' initiative at a very early stage, explains: "Walking and cycling are essential elements of sustainable urban development. However, promoting and supporting them more strongly can only succeed with a consistent turnaround in transportation. It is therefore important to significantly increase the financial resources for investment in cycling infrastructure, its maintenance, public relations work and citizen participation. With €22.50 per inhabitant per year in 2023 / 2024 up to €45 in 2029 / 2030, we are planning significantly more than comparable cities."

Result of the discussion: joint draft resolution

The citizens' initiative "Radentscheid Jena" welcomes the outcome of the joint discussions:

We are pleased that we were able to agree on this joint draft resolution after long discussions with the city administration. The 8 core objectives of the cycling decision will be incorporated into the city's cycling concept. This has the advantage that our goals can be implemented in a structured manner, with planning expertise and appropriate citizen participation.

Implementation of the first concrete measures as early as 2023

With the decision to give high priority to the demands of the cycling referendum when updating the cycling concept, the further procedural steps in the cycling referendum can be taken in advance. This will make it possible to implement the first concrete measures as early as 2023 and thus make cycling safer for children, young people and senior citizens in Jena.

I am convinced that the 2022 cycling concept will have a new quality, as the resolution expresses the city council's will to give cycling a higher priority in the modal split than before,

says Mayor Christian Gerlitz.

Political discussion

Frieda Nagler, representative of the cycling referendum, is looking forward to the political discussion:

'If the draft resolution is adopted in exactly the same way, then we will consider the citizens' petition to be successful and will destroy all the lists we have collected. In the event that the draft resolution is watered down by the city council, we reserve the right to submit a citizens' petition.