Dispute over tables instead of bike racks: Who owns public space in Berlin?

Dispute over tables instead of bike racks: Who owns public space in Berlin?

In Berlin, debates about the distribution of space in public spaces, especially for cyclists, developed most recently using the example of the “Hüftgold” restaurant on Ostkreuz. A post published on Reddit criticized the eatery's practice of placing tables between bike racks, sparking widespread outrage online. Users questioned whether this arrangement was permissible.

According to the Berliner Zeitung, the answer is yes. The restaurant has had a special permit since April 2024, which is valid until 2027. This approval cost a special usage fee of 1,350 euros and administration costs of 767 euros. The permit allows the restaurant to use sidewalk space for outdoor dining, but the placement of the tables between the bike racks is met with resistance. Residents and cyclists are calling for public space to be returned to the general public, which illustrates how polarizing the issue of space distribution is.

Reactions and solutions

The “Hüftgold” restaurant responded to the growing criticism by regretting that the measure had caused dissatisfaction among users. It emphasizes that it is striving for fair solutions and plans to install additional parking bars for cyclists nearby to meet demand.

The high need for safe and user-friendly bicycle parking facilities is a central topic in the discussion about cycling in Germany. The bicycle parking information point, which was set up as part of the special city & country program, offers support to municipalities in the construction of bicycle parking garages and larger parking facilities. This initiative, which has been active since 2021, is supported by the Federal Ministry of Transport and is intended to make the planning and construction of bicycle parking spaces easier.

Challenges in cycling planning

Despite efforts, the construction of bicycle parking garages remains complex. In many municipalities there is a lack of routine when planning such projects. The municipalities are confronted with various obstacles to implementation, which are examined in the project “KoRa: Eliminating obstacles to implementation in municipal cycling planning”. The aim is to optimize administrative processes and provide individual recommendations for action for the respective municipalities.

In this context, an online tool is also being developed that serves as a quick check for municipal cycling promotion. It is intended to help municipalities derive targeted measures to improve cycling infrastructure. This development is important so that the urgently needed construction sites in cycling are less hindered and the infrastructure is expanded more quickly.

The current discussions about the “Hüftgold” restaurant and the existing initiatives to improve the cycling infrastructure make it clear that the use of public space is always a cause for controversial debates. The pressure on the city to find solutions for the transport transition and the needs of all user groups remains high.

Further information about the challenges and solutions in cycling planning can be found on the website of Berlin newspaper, radparken.info and Difu.