Berlin wants to reactivate its inland ports with new mobility strategy

The city also plans to boost parking zones for loading and deliveries, as well as for people with disabilities, at the expense of those for regular cars

Yesterday, authorities in Berlin adopted the newest amendment of the Mobility Act (Mobilitätsgesetz), which focuses primarily on commercial traffic and building a future concept for the German capital. One of the key points of the strategy is the reinvigoration of the inland ports and the reopening of the ones that have closed down over the years.

Additionally, the city wants to take some parking spots away from private vehicles and open them up to commercial traffic, such as deliveries and loading zones. This would come with additional regulations pushing that type of traffic to the calmer hours of the night.

The concept comes with a platform for digital traffic data aimed at service providers to help gauge flows. This would mean that local authorities would offer a digital layer to mobility going forward, making knowledge-based policy and decisions more viable.

New ideas for commercial transport in Berlin

Transporting goods through waterways is definitely not a new idea. In fact, it is also the cheapest form of commercial traffic available. In this sense, despite the fact that Berlin is hundreds of kilometres away from the coast, it can make use of the canals, lakes and rivers passing in and around the city.

Berlin has several public ports: Westhafen, Südhafen Spandau, Hafen Neukölln. According to a statement by local authorities, they should continue to enjoy maintenance services, while some that have been closed, should reopen.

Additionally, when it comes to creating new parking spaces, the city will focus on those boosting designated delivery and loading zones, as well as spaces for people with disabilities.

A long time coming

The development of Berlin’s mobility strategy started in 2018 initially, with a focus on public transport and bike traffic. Then, in 2021, it was expanded to feature pedestrians. Now Mobility Senator Bettina Jarasch proclaimed that the strategy is complete with the final concepts tackling rail, water and freight traffic.

She was quoted in a press statement saying: “Commercial traffic affects us all. Our goal is to organize it in Berlin in a way that is compatible with the city, so that the flow of goods, delivery and disposal traffic works smoothly everywhere. We secure important infrastructure for transport by rail and water and for the handling of goods and create incentives for the use of low-emission commercial vehicles.”