Situation in the Danube Valley: Traffic congestion caused by motorcycles, especially on weekends
The L 277 crosses the scenic core area of the Upper Danube Nature Park. Numerous motorcyclists use this route, especially on weekends, which has an impact on traffic volume and noise pollution. According to surveys conducted by the Sigmaringen District Office in Hausen im Tal, an average of 606 motorcycles were counted within 24 hours on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. On July 14, 2024, the peak value was a total of 1,233 motorcycles and a total traffic volume of 3,528 vehicles in just one day.
Traffic authority’s package of measures: speed limits and extension of existing regulations
Even before the Petitions Committee made a decision, the Sigmaringen District Office had already implemented a comprehensive package of measures against “motorcycle noise.” This was based on the State Ministry of Transport’s “Guidelines for Reducing Motorcycle Noise.” These guidelines open up new legal options for the authorities to take action against excessive motorcycle noise. The measures, which were coordinated with higher-level traffic authorities, include:
A speed limit of 30 km/h in the towns of Beuron, Hausen im Tal, Neidingen, and Thiergarten on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays during the motorcycle season (from the first Saturday in April to the second Sunday in October of each year). The limit applies to all vehicles.
A speed limit of 70 km/h outside built-up areas on the L 277 between Beuron and Thiergarten on weekends and public holidays during the motorcycle season.
Extension of existing speed limits: The 60 km/h restriction at Käppeler Hof (northeast of Thiergarten) will be extended by 400 meters in the direction of Gutenstein. In addition, the 70 km/h restriction at the Amalienfelsen hiking car park in Inzigkofen will be extended to Inzigkofen railway station.
The speed limits are intended to reduce the number of acceleration and braking maneuvers. This should not only reduce noise pollution for residents and visitors, but also increase road safety.
Petitions committee rejects driving ban and additional e-mobility subsidies
The petition’s demands for a driving ban on combustion engine motorcycles and additional subsidies for e-mobility did not receive majority support in the state parliament. The Ministry of Transport pointed out that the share of electrically powered motorcycles is currently only around 1.5 percent and that state subsidies would therefore have no significant effect. In addition, noise protection in legislation is measured primarily on the basis of annual average values. This means that individual days with heavy traffic, as is often the case in the Danube Valley, are less significant.
Instead, existing and new speed regulations are considered an appropriate and proportionate response. No further future measures that may be taken have been announced to date.
Conclusion
A driving ban for motorcycles in the Danube Valley was rejected by the state parliament. The problem of “motorcycle noise” therefore remains, although a comprehensive package of measures including speed limits and increased monitoring has been introduced in response to the situation. It remains to be seen how these measures will affect noise pollution in the long term. Many details of the petition, such as the number of supporters, remain unclear.
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