Cyclists flood Dresden's main street - business owner desperately!

Cyclists flood Dresden's main street - business owner desperately!

Kandalofsky, which also operates shops on Louisenstraße and in the Kügelgenhaus, states that the number of its customers on the main street has dropped significantly, while shops in less frequented locations attract a larger clientele. Her husband Steffen adds that the unchecked cyclist -density of walkers displaces and significantly impairs the view of their business.

increased traffic violations

A dramatic increase in traffic violations of cyclists since the fatal collapse of the Carol Bridge is particularly striking. While only two violations were registered six months before the accident, the number then shot up to six. These violations primarily concern driving in red light and the use of mobile phones. The city administration therefore warns of special caution in this area, because the main street is shown as a pedestrian boulevard, which also complicated the situation.

On June 14, 2023, the city already recorded 3,900 cyclists on the main street between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. The excessive bicycle traffic is seen as a direct sequence of the bridge restriction. In the previous year, five traffic accidents were also noted with cyclists on the main street, and two have been going on this year.

approval problem and proposed solutions

The Kandalofskys have already tried to draw attention to their business by setting up a sign. But the bureaucratic effort was great because the approval of the regulatory office was long in coming. Finally, they were even imposed on a fine because they had set up a display without permission. A market car in front of your shop was also prohibited from the security service, which resulted in further financial losses.

On the urban side, a solution to the problem is being worked on. An internal working group meets every two weeks and deals with the traffic situation on the main street. However, technical monitoring of the permissible top speed for cyclists, which is set at 10 km/h, was not considered technically possible, and suggestions for a cycling lane were rejected.

The Kandalofskys want to capture their business despite all the adversity, while the city plans to check the signage on the main street and to work on infrastructural and traffic law adjustments. The challenges on Dresden's main street show how tight pedestrians, cyclists and business owners are linked and how important a balanced solution is for everyone involved.

For further information on the current developments and statistics about cycling in Dresden, see Sächsische.de, [TAG24] (https://www.tag24.de/dresden/lokales/verkehrsverstoesse-von-radfahrer-in-dresen-nach-nacht-streuzen Berlin.de.