reducing traffic congestion

• traffic congestion can lead to air pollution, there are also the negative economic effects of increased journey times, higher fuel consumption and greater risk of accidents
• the city has an integrated traffic plan which is is updated every ten years
• the most important part of Freibergs integrated transport system is the tram network, this provides efficient, cheap and accessible public transport
• compared with other german cities, freiberg has a low car density with less than 500 cars per 1000 residents
• as well as the integrated transport system, there are:

  • 400km of cycle paths with 9000 parking spaces for bikes including 'bike and ride' facilities at railway and bus stations
  • restrictions on car parking spaces, in the Vauban district, each one costs £20,000
• as a result of Freibergs transport plan, tram journeys have increased by over 25,000 in one year, while car journeys reduced by nearly 30,000
• the tram network covers 30km and is connected to the 168km of city bus routes
• low tram fares allow unlimited travel in the city and surrounding district
• 70% of the population live within 500m of a tram stop with a tram every 8 minutes
• any ticket for a concert, sports or other event can also be used on public transport