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A citizen-led campaign in Berlin is collecting signatures to create a car‑free center in the German capital. Other European cities show what happens when streets are built for people.Berliners lost 60 hours to traffic congestion last year, which is something Oliver Collmann is hoping to change. The engineer spent years working on software for self-driving cars before realizing he really wanted to use his skills for things "that are more in the general interest of humankind." Having eased out of his job, he joined a group campaigning for a referendum to reduce traffic in the center of Germany's capital. "Berlin is one of the few European capitals now that are still very car centric in the traffic policy," said Collmann, who is co-spokesperson for the movement. "Cars have about 75% to 80% of the space that's available within the city." Berlin's center is surrounded by a 37-kilometer (23-mile) circular railway and campaigners want to see all streets inside it reclassified as "car‑reduced." The model would mean motorized vehicles would only be permitted inside this zone in specific instances — such as for transporting people with restricted mobility, by emergency services or for large commercial deliveries. Berliners would each be permitted to drive their private car in the city center up to 12 times a year. Collmann says the proposed law is not anti-car but "against the overuse of cars and the use of oversized cars in the city area." He and other campaigners believe the changes would result in cleaner air and less noise, as well as creating more space for trees that would help reduce heat and contribute to better public health. Trees lower surface and air temperatures by providing shadeand cooling by absorbing water through their roots and evaporating it through their leaves. But for Oliver Lah, an adjunct professor in spatial planning at the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden, prohibition is not the answer. "Providing something that people actually want — that's what helps," he said, adding he would like to see Berliners "find consensus on what is really sensible and useful for businesses in the city and the people living in the city center." Other places in Europe have been experimenting with different ways to reduce traffic in city centers. Including in Vienna, Copenhagen, Barcelona and Oslo. Oslo gives priority to pedestrians The Norwegian capital implemented its car-free program in 2017 to give pedestrians priority in the city center, while simultaneously discouraging private cars. An automated ring toll system monitors vehicles crossing into the city and charges them for the privilege. It is cheaper to enter when in an electric car than a combustion engine model. A 2020 evaluation conducted by city authorities showed that traffic had declined by 28% within the program area. Besides reducing traffic, the program, which invited public participation, also aimed to create more space for nature and humans. In 2022, parts of central Oslo were turned into "livable streets" by temporarily closing them to private cars. During this time, the streets were redesigned with benches, seating areas, plant beds, and other natural elements like logs. Areas were filled with greenery, including flowers, shrubs, herbs, and meadow plants, to create a more relaxed and inviting space for people of all ages. Oslo's city center is busier than a decade ago, with a 38% increase in pedestrian activity on Saturdays and improved conditions for cyclists. The number of people walking and cycling in the Norwegian capital rose from 36% in 2014 to 46% in 2023, according to city statistics. But that is not to say the streets are completely car-free. Of all the new cars registered in Oslo so far this year, 98.1% are zero-emission ones. Paris popularizes 15-minute cities Paris has made a name for itself as a 15-minute city, which means designing urban areas so that most daily necessities and services are reachable within a quater-hour walk or bike ride. The concept was the brainchild of Franco-Colombian urban researcher Carlos Moreno, but caught the attention of Anne Hidlago, former mayor of Paris. "Have you ever stopped to ask yourself: Why does a noisy and polluted street need to be a noisy and polluted street? Just because it is? Why can't it be a calm street lined with trees, where people can actually meet and walk to the baker and kids can walk to school?" Moreno asked in a 2020 TED Talk. As part of its 15-minute city concept, Paris has reduced cars in the city center without enforcing bans. Instead, at the end of 2024, the French capital introduced limited traffic zones in major parts of the city center. The rule allows for traffic that starts or ends inside the zones, but drivers are not allowed to use these areas just to pass through on their way somewhere else. This rule reduced traffic by about 6% inside the restricted zone and around 8% in the surrounding central area during the last two months of 2024. The city has not introduced any fines for breaking this rule, giving enough drivers time to adapt to the transition. Now Moreno is helping other countries, like the Netherlands, to implement the same concept in different cities. A 2026 study shows that walkable city models like Paris exhibit lower per-capita transport emissions. Back in Berlin, campaigners have until May 8 to collect signatures from at least 7% of eligible voters in the city for the car-free initiative. If the threshold is met, residents of the German capital could be voting in a referendum later this year that shapes the heart of their city. Edited by: Tamsin Walker