Berlin residents lost roughly 60 hours last year to traffic congestion — a reality engineer Oliver Collmann wants to change. Collmann left a job building software for autonomous vehicles to campaign for a referendum that would sharply reduce car traffic in central Berlin. He, as co‑spokesperson for the movement, says private vehicles take up about 75–80% of available urban space and that Berlin remains unusually car‑centric for a European capital.
The proposal would reclassify all streets inside Berlin’s 37‑kilometer circular railway as “car‑reduced.” Motorized vehicles would be allowed only in limited circumstances: people with reduced mobility, emergency services and large commercial deliveries. Private drivers could enter the zone only around a dozen times a year. Collmann emphasizes the plan is not anti‑car but aims to curb overuse and oversized vehicles in dense areas. Supporters expect cleaner air, lower noise levels and more space for trees and green features that cool the city through shade and evapotranspiration and can improve public health.
Not everyone supports strict limits. Oliver Lah, an adjunct professor of spatial planning, argues that policy should focus on providing attractive alternatives and building consensus about what benefits residents and businesses rather than simply banning cars.
European cities have tried many different approaches. Oslo launched a car‑reduction program in 2017 that prioritized pedestrians and discouraged private cars with an automated ring toll for vehicles entering the city; fees are lower for electric cars. A 2020 city evaluation found traffic dropped 28% inside the program area. Parts of the center were converted into temporary “livable streets” with benches, plant beds and logs to add greenery and seating. By 2023, Saturday pedestrian activity had risen by 38%, and the share of walking and cycling climbed from 36% in 2014 to 46%. New car registrations this year in Oslo have been overwhelmingly zero‑emission (about 98.1%).
Paris has promoted the “15‑minute city” model — organizing neighborhoods so daily needs are within a 15‑minute walk or bike ride — a concept popularized by researcher Carlos Moreno and promoted by former mayor Anne Hidalgo. At the end of 2024 Paris introduced limited‑traffic zones in major central areas so vehicles can enter only if a trip starts or ends inside the zone, not merely to pass through. That change reduced traffic by roughly 6% inside the restricted area and about 8% in adjacent central neighborhoods during the last two months of 2024; authorities allowed a transition period without immediate fines. Moreno is advising other cities, including some in the Netherlands. A 2026 study found that walkable city models generally have lower per‑capita transport emissions.
Other cities, including Vienna, Copenhagen and Barcelona, have experimented with cutting parking, pedestrianizing streets and reclaiming space from cars for nature and people.
In Berlin, campaigners have until May 8 to collect signatures from at least 7% of eligible voters to force a referendum on the car‑reduced plan. If they reach that threshold, residents could vote later this year on reshaping the city center.