30 km/h test in Gernlinden: signs taken down and 50 km/h allowed!

30 km/h test in Gernlinden: signs taken down and 50 km/h allowed!

The dispute over the 30 km/h speed limit on Brucker Straße in Gernlinden caused a lot of excitement, and after just a week the experiment has already ended. Like Mercury reported, the 30 km/h signs were taken down because, according to the police, there was no legal basis for them. Mayor Hans Seidl from the CSU put up the signs against the resistance of the police and administration and is now faced with the consequences.

Before the experiment, the speed limit on Brucker Straße was 40, which was more or less accepted. With the removal of the signs, speeds of 50 km/h are allowed again on this section, which some are calling a “disaster”. Transport officer Matthias Weiss from the Greens called for more room for maneuver and a rethinking of transport policy. According to Weiss, speeds of 30 km/h are possible in other federal states, but Bavaria will have to wait for an official letter from the Ministry of the Interior to take further steps.

Legal situation and new possibilities

However, a trend is emerging across Germany: the reform of the Road Traffic Act (StVG), which was passed in 2024, gives municipalities and federal states more scope for decision-making. The changes made by ADAC explained in detail made it easier to introduce 30 km/h zones and resident parking spaces. Municipalities can now, among other things, more easily implement traffic safety measures that also take health and environmental protection aspects into account. This is particularly relevant for busy routes to school, playgrounds and zebra crossings.

In addition, it is now sufficient to connect two 30 km/h zones if the distance is a maximum of 500 meters. This wasn't possible before. This could guarantee communities like Maisach more flexibility in the future when it comes to safety on the roads.

The path to greater road safety

A further step towards safer traffic management was taken in 2025 with the Federal Council's decision to change the road traffic regulations (StVO). These changes were also initiated by the “Livable Cities through Appropriate Speeds” initiative, which advocates for more 30 km/h speed options. The Federal Environment Agency has been pointing out the need for such reforms since 2017 and many of the recommendations found their way into the new regulations, such as on their website shown becomes.

Conclusion: The situation on Brucker Straße raises questions, and the discussion about safe and environmentally friendly traffic management remains current. Mayor Seidl takes responsibility for the quick decision and its costs, while at the same time a need for clearer regulations and more flexibility in road traffic becomes apparent. We will be curious to see how the discussion develops in the coming months and whether there will be changes in this sense in other places.