Bed bikes in Aschaffenburg: Green protest against parking chaos!
Activists in Aschaffenburg are using “bed bikes” to take a stand against parking problems on the traffic-calmed Frohsinnstrasse.

Bed bikes in Aschaffenburg: Green protest against parking chaos!
In view of the increasing traffic on Frohsinnstrasse in Aschaffenburg, the call for an improved traffic situation is becoming louder. The traffic-calmed zone, which has remained in place since its introduction in 2020, is a popular destination for restaurants and shops. But illegal parking makes life difficult for residents and business owners. The new “bed bikes” from the “Amt für Chaos Aschaffenburg” group, which drive through the streets with planted trailers and draw attention to the parking problem, help. Loud br.de These original bicycles are not only a beautiful sight, but also a creative method to create more awareness of alternative uses of transport space.
The campaign is part of a comprehensive project to improve pedestrian friendliness in Aschaffenburg. The bollard system, which was installed in July 2025, is intended to prevent unauthorized entries into Frohsinnstrasse and offer pedestrians more safety. Cyclists are allowed to drive through the pedestrian zone all day long, while the bollards are automatically lowered during delivery times. “This has contributed an incredible amount to improving the quality of stay,” said the public order office. Since the introduction of this measure, the traffic situation has noticeably improved and the attractiveness of restaurants in the area has increased: a real win-win situation for everyone involved, emphasizes as_charity.
Together for a better city
The activists with their “bed bikes” received a lot of praise from passers-by and residents. It is fascinating to see how local residents water and care for the beds. So far there have been no cases of vandalism, which speaks for the positive commitment of the population. This type of cooperation shows that the change towards a self-sufficient city often causes fewer conflicts than feared. [Deutschlandfunk](https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/successful-trafficbe calming-100.html) follows up here and reports generally positive trend reversals in various German cities.
In Munich, for example, similar concepts are being tried out to reduce car traffic and improve air quality. Both citizens and business people often express concerns that traffic calming measures could lead to gentrification - a topic that is also being discussed in Cologne. Nevertheless, it has been shown that municipalities that involve residents at an early stage and communicate clearly can achieve better success
The challenges facing local businesses aren’t just due to a lack of parking. Thriving online trade and a lack of staff are putting a strain on many companies. But it looks like well-thought-out traffic calming initiatives create the foundation for a more livable city and, if communicated and designed correctly, can also be beneficial for small businesses.
The experiment with the “Beet-Bikes” on Frohsinnstrasse is not only a creative answer to an important urban problem, but also a sign of community that makes you want more. A look into the future shows that other cities like Cologne can also learn from such initiatives to revitalize their own pedestrian zones.