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District of Viersen / Mönchengladbach. Assumption: Change in the FNP per express cycle route should stop the S28 expansion
The intention of the city of Mönchengladbach to push the rapid cycle route between Gladbach and Krefeld with the 246th amendment to the zoning plan and to prioritize it in terms of planning law, has raised the alarm bells in the Willich tip of the city. Of course, nobody in the city has anything against the rapid expansion of the cycle expressway – on the contrary.
The background to Willich’s discomfort is different: the further and expansion of the regional railway S28 from Kaarster See station to Viersen station, which has been desired for years, and for which the city of Mönchengladbach needs an agreement due to certain areas, depends on the planned high-speed cycle path because of the route required for this directly together.
Expansion of the S28: The route over Schiefbahn and Neersen, which is intended and necessary for this, is dedicated to railway law, has been kept free for decades and could be used again throughout. A feasibility study from 2009 had clearly demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of the measure in various variants – and in the end, real progress in recent years had repeatedly failed due to the blocking attitude of the city of Mönchengladbach.
Willich’s Mayor Christian Pakusch now fears that the determination of the bicycle expressway that the city of Mönchengladbach has apparently envisaged (specifically, changes in the land use plan and development plan in the area of Neuwerk on the city limits have been included in the political decision-making process) could create facts about the route which could then in fact prevent the further construction of the S 28 on sight. Pakusch: “Other route variants for the undisputed ecologically and economically sensible extension of the S 28 are not very realistic – and would thwart our plans to tackle the implementation in the short term for years.”
Pakusch now wants to get in touch with the Gladbach city center at short notice and clarify whether the assumption cherished in Willich that “the further construction of the S 28 should be prevented here by prioritizing the rapid cycle route” is true. In this case, Pakusch announces the clear resistance of the Willicher: “It cannot be that under the guise of promoting a project that makes sense in itself, such as the cycle expressway, another project that is at least as sensible from a regional point of view, namely the further construction the S28 to torpedo. As sensible as possible cooperation solutions Radschnellweg / S28, we as the city of Willich will do everything to stop these transparent Gladbach attempts. “
GREENS in the district of Viersen indicate that the S28 route in Mönchengladbach is threatened
BÜNDNIS 90 / DIE GRÜNEN in the Viersen district expressly support the open letter on the S28 from Pro Bahn eV and Verkehrsclub Deutschland eV (VCD). A few days ago it went to all affected municipalities, companies and institutions. In addition to the advantages of extending the route, the letter mentions, among other things, that in Mönchengladbach the route planned for the S28 is threatened with a zoning and development plan.
The GRÜNEN in the Viersen district association explicitly point this out: “The zoning plans refer to the planned high-speed cycle route from Krefeld via Willich to Mönchengladbach, which is to run on the former railway line between these cities,” says Reiner Neuss, spokesman for the BÜNDNIS 90 / district transport group. THE GREEN Viersen. “This route runs in the border area between Willich and Mönchengladbach for about one kilometer exactly on the route of the S28”.
In the Mönchengladbach area, this route is now to be redesigned for the cycle expressway, according to Neuss. “The section is only about 300 meters long, but that would have killed the extension of the S28.” Reiner Neuss is familiar with the land-use plans that are currently available for information and are to be decided in the course of the year. They expressly speak of de-dedication.
The traffic expert says: “I can only explain that with ignorance. Because there is an expert opinion from the summer of 2020, which shows that both the rapid cycle route and the S28 fit parallel to the route.
“We GREENS are absolutely in favor of the cycle expressway, but one meaningful mobility and environmental project must not prevent the other,” says Maria Dittrich, spokeswoman for the Viersen district association of BÜNDNIS 90 / DIE GRÜNEN. “If the extension of the S28 should be sacrificed for the cycle expressway, then Mönchengladbach really has to ask itself whether it takes climate change and the traffic turnaround seriously. Especially since many citizens of Mönchengladbach would also benefit from the S28. “
Reiner Neuss adds: “The Lord Mayor of Mönchengladbach recently feared in WDR local time that the S28 would continue to Venlo and that Mönchengladbach would then be cut off from rail traffic to the Netherlands. However, there is no question of that, it should definitely only go as far as Viersen. The RE13 coming from Düsseldorf will also continue to serve Mönchengladbach and Venlo. “
Maria Dittrich points out that the route from Krefeld via Willich to Mönchengladbach planned for the cycle expressway should also be revitalized for rail traffic, according to information from the state government. Dittrich: “That is probably not critical, since this route is suitable for the realization of both projects. But you must not disentangle them! “
The zoning plan and the master plan for the cycle expressway can be viewed in the draft on the website of the city of Mönchengladbach under “City Hall / Current opportunities for participation”. Comments can also be submitted there.
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