Politics raises the alarm: KVB line 18 should be severely restricted!

Politics raises the alarm: KVB line 18 should be severely restricted!

in Cologne-Mülheim, the air is quite thin according to the current changes in KVB line 18. With an urgent request, the district council has reacted to the upcoming restrictions that will be noticeable for passengers from September. The line will end from the Buchheim Herler Straße stop, and the direct connections to Holweide and Dellbrück are therefore history. A clear step backwards for mobility in the region, as politics has noted. KStA reports that the usual five-minute cycle between Klettenberg and Reichenspergerplatz only maintain is.

That clouded the idyllic mood in the district. During the meeting of the district council, it became clear that the factions of the Greens, SPD, CDU and other single mandate carriers agree and unanimously passed the application. In particular, the Green Group emphasizes that line 18 represents the only direct connection between Thielenbrück, Dellbrück and Holweide to the main train station or Ebertplatz.

criticism of the city administration

Annika Hilleke, the deputy district mayor, does not make a secret out of her concern. It points out that the mobility of the residents is severely affected by the blocking of the Mülheim bridge. This bridge was previously an essential part of the traffic routing, but the high number of passengers that noticed before the blocking showed how important the line is actually. The neighboring lines are also affected by the shifting track.

The KVB has informed in this context that the restrictions are necessary due to the renovation work on the Mülheim bridge. This work, which was originally planned from October 8 to 17, 2022, extended and are expected to continue until 2026. Even unexpected damage to the bridge was discovered, which could result in additional delays. The city has set up preliminary replacement buses that at least partially replace the eliminated connections.

replacement offers should close the gap

The transport companies also rely on a new bus line 19, which is to also relieve line 18 in the morning. This line commutes between the Kletttenbergpark and Ebertplatz and is supposed to breathe a little and relieve relief, especially during peak times. In addition, lines 13 and 18 are now on a regular framework again, even if they are no longer driving across the Rhine. However, the simple fact that both trips to Dellbrück and Holweide no longer make the situation easier.

The district council has again demanded that the KVB restore its original journey offer after the end of the Mülheimer Bridge. The priority should be on the return of the five -minute clock in the main times to Herler Strasse. For the commuters from Thielenbruch, that would be a little ray of hope at the end of an increasingly dark tunnel.

The current situation clearly shows how much one traffic line can influence the entire mobility offer. Many citizens of Cologne are now looking forward to how the situation will develop in the coming months.