Autobahn speed limit debate flares up again as Germany enters election campaign

The contentious debate about a general speed limit on Germany’s famed Autobahn (motorway) has flared up again as the campaign for the country’s snap election on 23 February gets underway. While the conservative CDU/CSU alliance, which currently leads the polls, has come out against such a measure, current chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD has called for a speed limit of 130 kilometres per hour (km/h). “A speed limit has so many advantages that it is almost impossible to justify not introducing it,” the party writes in its election programme draft, emphasising benefits for human lives and health, as well as for nature and the climate.

A report commissioned by the German Environment Agency (UBA) shows that a general speed limit on motorways and country roads could help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from passenger cars by around 2 to 8 percent. The report analysed changes to carbon emissions for several speed limit scenarios.

“No other single measure can do as much for climate protection as speed limits on motorways and country roads,” said Michael Müller-Görnert, who is spokesperson of sustainable transport association VCD. “They also save lives and are almost free of charge.”

A general speed limit is politically controversial in Germany, and has been discussed for many years. Surveys have shown that a majority of the population is generally in favour. Both the Greens and Social Democrats were in favour of introducing it, but the pro-business FDP blocked the move in the outgoing government’s coalition treaty. Germany is the only country in Europe that has no speed limit on large parts of its motorway network.