Hesse's top court to rule Wednesday on legality of 2022 transport-reform petition that gathered 70,000 signatures
The Hessian State Court in Wiesbaden will announce its verdict at 11:00 on Wednesday in the case brought by the 'Verkehrswende Hessen' initiative, whose 2022 petition for a new mobility law was rejected as unconstitutional by the previous state government.
The petition and its demands
Several associations under the 'Verkehrswende Hessen' (Hesse Transport Transition) umbrella pushed for a new state mobility law, the 'Verkehrswendegesetz'. Their demands included more cycle paths, wider pavements, and additional public transport services. The initiative collected roughly 70,000 signatures in support of the petition.
The 2022 delivery and rejection
In summer 2022, supporters delivered the signatures to Wiesbaden with a bicycle convoy that rode along the A66 motorway. The then black-green state government rejected the proposal, arguing it was not compatible with the state constitution. The transport ministry's position was that the draft law exceeded the legislative competence of the state of Hesse.
The legal challenge
Following the government's rejection, the associations took the matter to the Hessian State Court, the highest court in the state. The court will now rule on whether the petition was constitutional. The verdict is scheduled for Wednesday at 11:00 in Wiesbaden.
What happens next
The court's decision will determine whether the 'Verkehrswendegesetz' can proceed through the direct-democracy process or whether the government's constitutional objections stand. No further hearing dates or procedural steps have been announced beyond Wednesday's verdict.
