The city of Ulm will soon designate other streets in the city center as pedestrian zones. This is a thorn in the side of retailers in particular. They fear losing customers as a result and having access to deliveries more difficult. The city administration had also spoken out against the project, but in the end the majority in Ulm’s building committee voted in favor of expanding the pedestrian zone.
The expansion affects areas around the Judenhof and the Paradiesgasse as well as the Dreiköniggasse and the Herrenkellergasse. The pedestrian zone will also be expanded at the town hall and in the direction of Neu-Ulm. Due to the changes in the city center, cars will soon no longer be allowed to drive in any of the newly designated zones, with the exception of residents who want to go to their parking spaces. Delivery traffic is also still allowed, but only between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. Anyone who parks their car there anyway, as is often the case in the Schuhausgasse directly on the Münster, pays 55 euros.
Chamber of Industry and Commerce takes a critical view of expansion
The idea of an extended pedestrian zone came up in Ulm more than a year ago. In order to get a broader opinion, the city had set up a citizens’ dialogue. While citizens are above all annoyed by the prevailing traffic there and reject a further expansion of outdoor gastronomy, retailers worry about the lack of customers. The Ulm Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) is also critical of the expansion of the pedestrian zones.
According to general manager Petra Engstler-Karrasch, there is a lack of understanding among retailers about the decision of the building committee to expand the pedestrian zone. “With the introduction of the pedestrian zone, some businesses are losing customers who just stopped by car and shopped,” says the general manager. In addition, delivery becomes complex and sometimes unrealistic.
From the point of view of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, a healthy mix of retail and gastronomy is recklessly put at risk with the decision. Owner-managed businesses are particularly affected. “There will probably be a change in stocking in the medium term. Companies with ranges that are currently in demand will move up. Instead of preserving grown structures, which until now accounted for the special charm of the streets, ‘in zones’ are being created,” fears the deputy IHK general manager Jonas Pürckhauer.
