New start for better bike and bus network in Weil am Rhein!

New start for better bike and bus network in Weil am Rhein!

Weil am Rhein, Deutschland - in Weil am Rhein something happens in the area of ​​mobility. Around two dozen interested parties accepted Martin Fischer, the Greens City Councilor, to the Kolping Hall. There was an important topic on the agenda: improving cycling and insufficient bus connections, which primarily concerns line 55 to Basel. Care gaps such as the lack of connections to Ötlingen and market at the weekend ensured a lively discussion among those present.

The current bus connections cannot be convinced, especially during the rush hours. Only every 30 minutes the buses chug past the stops, while the tram drives every seven minutes. As part of the event, there was also an exchange with experts: Arne Schöllhorn from the Office for Mobility Basel and Markus Indlekofer from the Stadtwerke Weil and Klaus Geese from IG Velo answered questions. The delays of bus line 55 due to traffic jams in Haltingen and the defective elevators at the train station were particularly common, which are a hurdle for people with walking disabilities.

looking for solutions

The city already has plans to improve the connection. From December 2026, an extended buffer period for bus line 55 is to be planned to reduce delays. Fischer also brought an exciting proposal into play: an "on Demand" bus system. This model is currently being tested in the Schopfheim district and could also ensure a fresh air in Weil. With this system, minibuses can be requested conveniently via app or telephone, and trips to similar destinations are bundled. This could be a valuable addition in particular for the often orphaned marginal times.

How the "on Demand" system fits into the broader context of public transport, explains the website of the future network. The Ministry of Transport Baden-Württemberg has been promoting the expansion of on-demand offers across 2022 to integrate the existing public transport and close gaps. The focus is particularly on the “first and last mile”, that is, the connection of residential areas to public transport. The new mobility offers such as ridepooling should also become more attractive and versatile for rural regions.

A look across the border to Basel

Another exciting point of the discussion was the traffic policy of Basel. In neighboring Switzerland, parking space management has been severely refined to offer cyclists and pedestrians more space. For example, a commuter car park there costs up to CHF 1,000 per year, and the number of parking spaces is to be reduced from 30,000 to 25,000. Last but not least, the city of Basel plans to build two "super blocks", which are to be built by the end of 2026. These are intended to offer traffic -calmed and green roads that focus more on alternative forms of mobility.

Geese, which of IG Velo, also has an interesting proposal: he suggested that a Basel bike rental system also extend to Weil. The conversations about these new forms of mobility and the future of traffic in Weil am Rhein show: A lot is happening and the objective is clear - the citizens should receive a better, barrier -free and versatile transport system. Where the journey is going is exciting!