Traffic Club Germany
| Verkehrsclub Deutschland e. V. (VCD) |
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|---|---|
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| purpose | Traffic club with an ecological focus |
| Chair: | Kerstin Haarmann |
| Establishment date: | July 19, 1986 |
| Number of members: | 53,595 (December 31, 2014) |
| Employee | 35 (2016) |
| Seat : | Berlin |
| Website: | www.vcd.org |
The ecological traffic club Germany e. V. ( VCD ) is a traffic club that works for a traffic turnaround in terms of socially and environmentally compatible mobility of all road users .
Self-image
In June 1986, the Verkehrsclub Deutschland was founded as a reaction to the transport policy of the federal government formed by the CDU / CSU and FDP and as an ecological counterpoint to the automobile clubs such as the ADAC , by members of various environmental associations and initiatives. It was officially founded on July 19, 1986. The VCD sees itself as a consumer-oriented environmental association that advocates sustainable mobility and represents the interests of all ecologically oriented road users (as well as motorists, cyclists , pedestrians , rail and public transport users).
Campaigns, topics and actions
Pedestrian and bicycle traffic
Since walking and cycling are among the most environmentally friendly modes of transport, the VCD advocates these forms of mobility as well. While the bicycle master plan is aimed at politics, actions and campaigns such as Walk to School and Bicycle! specifically addressed to children and young people. In addition to the aspect of road safety - whoever knows how to move around independently in road traffic can also better assess the dangers involved - the shift in traffic (away from the parent's automobile taxi ) and thus the environmental aspect also play a role here.
Local transport
The VCD sees local public transport as an environmentally friendly alternative to the car, particularly in city traffic. Here, too, the VCD attaches great importance to customer friendliness - that is, good connections, convenience, punctuality, high clock frequencies, good service and fair prices. The customer orientation is u. a. In the competition Royal conditions in bus and train compared. For public transport, similar to long-distance traffic , legally binding and nationwide uniform passenger rights are required.
Rail transport
The VCD became known primarily because, as part of its broad campaign for the “half price pass” based on the Swiss model of the half-fare subscription, it was able to persuade the Deutsche Bundesbahn and Deutsche Reichsbahn to introduce the BahnCard in 1992 . For ten years he campaigned for the receipt of the BahnCard 50 . The VCD is critical of rail privatization . Since 2001 the VCD has been testing the customer friendliness of Deutsche Bahn on a regular basis from the customer's point of view. Service, punctuality and advice are among the key criteria in the VCD rail test. The VCD also evaluates new construction, expansion and closure plans for the railway from the perspective of railway users and taxpayers . He fights for what he believes are necessary and meaningful projects and against those that he considers harmful, such as B. Stuttgart 21 . He is also committed to noise reduction and noise protection on railway lines, especially on the main axes of freight traffic . The VCD also calls for the long-term preservation of night trains as an ecological and comfortable way of traveling as well as an expansion of the cross-border night train network within Europe and rejects the thinning of the route network and the cancellation of night train services.
Car traffic
In the field of car traffic , the VCD follows the guiding principle “as much as necessary, as little as possible”. A sensible and sustainable use of the car is propagated. The VCD promotes car sharing , gives tips on fuel-efficient driving and traveling without a car. The ecological vehicle protection letters and vehicle insurance of VCD Service GmbH offer drivers with environmentally friendly cars appropriate discounts. Since 2002, the VCD has supported the “No Diesel Without Filter” alliance for the serial installation of soot particle filters in diesel vehicles. In the freight transport sector, the VCD relies on shifting traffic from trucks to rail and ship, on environmentally-oriented fleet management and truck tolls .
Since 1989, the VCD has brought its so-called VCD Car Environment List onto the market every year , in which current series-produced car models with internal combustion engines are rated on the basis of their environmental compatibility . In addition to CO 2 emissions, the evaluation criteria include noise pollution , soot particle , nitrogen oxide and benzene emissions. However, only vehicles with combustion engines are listed in the current list (2013/2014), electric cars are considered by the VCD including the upstream chain for providing the drive energy , which is ignored in vehicles with combustion engines and, based on the NEDC, especially hybrid cars offer particular advantages the rating. In 2007, a purchase advice was published for the first time under the title “Which car should it be?” Made recommendations for five different types of buyers for five environmentally friendly car models each.
The VCD is campaigning for a speed limit of 120 km / h on German motorways. Safety aspects (lower speed - fewer consequences of accidents) play just as important a role as climate protection : speed limits would reduce CO 2 emissions from cars. In addition, engines that are not designed for speeds above 120 km / h use less gasoline.
In addition, with its “Tempo 30 for more life” initiative, the VCD advocates reducing the regular speed in built-up areas . He is also involved in an alliance with other environmental associations in a European citizens' initiative called 30kmh - making the streets livable!
Text: We propose an EU-wide regular speed limit of 30 km / h (20 mph) for urban / residential areas. Local authorities can set other speed limits if they can demonstrate how environmental and safety requirements for the most vulnerable road users are met. This ECI is registered with the European Commission and could also be signed online from November 13, 2012 to November 13, 2013. By April 20, 2013, 19,535 Europeans had signed.
The VCD protested against the environmental bonus introduced in 2009 and referred to as the “scrapping bonus” in the form decided by the federal government, and called for the bonus for the purchase of bicycles and tickets.
Air traffic
With the goal of the massive growth and the environmental impacts ( noise - pollution, land use ) of as harmful to the climate prevailing air traffic curb the VCD for a whole series promotes measures: The VCD requested to provide a fuel tax introduced, as he considers it unjust that the railways have to pay value-added tax, eco- tax and mineral oil taxes, while air traffic is exempt. He sees the inclusion of air traffic in European emissions trading and a (national) ticket levy as important steps in order to deal with the boom in so-called low - cost airlines . There is also the demand for a nationwide ban on night flights from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Traffic safety
For more safety and consideration on the roads, the VCD campaigns for general speed limits of 30 in town and for sustainable mobility education as well as with the traffic policy concept Vision Zero , a master plan for the goal of zero traffic fatalities.
Senior mobility
Not only demographic change , but also everyday habits mean that more seniors are mobile than ever before. Many older people still sit behind the wheel of old age. In cooperation with its “Senior Mobility” working group, the VCD wants to show that in old age you don't necessarily need your own car to stay mobile, and that mobility beyond the car means that older people can be mobile for longer. He is committed to safe and good pedestrian and cycle path connections and also works to ensure that public transport is expanded and made more service-friendly and that accessibility is a priority when planning public spaces and means of transport. The VCD also offers older people information and advice so that switching from cars is not seen as a sacrifice. From July 2012 to August 2015, the VCD coordinated the three-year joint project "Klimaverträglich mobil 60+", which it carried out together with the Federal Working Group of Senior Citizens 'Organizations and the German Tenants' Association .
Sustainable tourism
To ensure that holidays also follow sustainable criteria, the VCD is particularly committed to environmentally friendly travel chains (bus, train, bicycle) and car-free mobility at the holiday destination. With its projects Mobile on Vacation , Wanderlust and Sustainable School Trips , the VCD offers consumers appropriate tips and guidelines for action. In cooperation with the environmental associations BUND , NABU and WWF as well as Deutsche Bahn , the VCD advocates gentle tourism in large protected areas as part of “Destination Nature” .
CSR mobility award
In 2007 DMM, BAUM and VCD launched the CSR Mobility Award for environmentally conscious business travel to support companies in their efforts to achieve Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It is awarded to companies that take environmental aspects into account when organizing their business trips and thus make a contribution to sustainable development. In addition, a platform is to be developed that promotes the exchange between companies and the creation of ecological travel concepts.
structure
organization
The association is subdivided into the twelve regional associations Baden-Württemberg , Bavaria , Hesse , Rhineland-Palatinate , Saarland , North Rhine-Westphalia , Lower Saxony , Bremen , Brandenburg and the Elbe-Saale ( Saxony , Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia ) associations, which are composed due to a lack of membership North ( Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein ) and northeast ( Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania ). In addition, in - but not nationwide - around 160 regional, district and local associations.
VCD members can actively participate here. They also send delegates to the annual Federal Delegate Assembly, which elects the federal board, sets long-term goals and monitors the association's finances.
The state council, with representatives sent from the state associations, advises and controls the federal board.
The national board of the VCD sets the political priorities of the association, defines the association's political goals and represents the VCD externally. The members of the federal board (according to the statutes at least five, at most seven people) are elected every two years by the federal delegates' assembly. The federal executive board takes advice from the members of the scientific advisory board appointed by it .
The implementation of the association's resolutions and the day-to-day operations are carried out in the federal office of the VCD in Berlin , which has 44 full-time employees (as of June 15, 2009).
The VCD is a signatory of the Transparent Civil Society Initiative and a member of the German Nature Protection Ring .
Offshoot
VCD Umwelt & Verkehr Service GmbH
VCD Service GmbH offers ecologically oriented consumers specially tailored insurance offers. In addition to old-age provision policies, accident, private, travel cancellation, legal protection and travel health insurance, these include, according to the company, the first car insurance Eco-Line , which is based on the ecological quality of the car (especially pollutant emissions and pollutant class ). In addition, there are car safety letters with an eco bonus (for low-emission cars), personal and bicycle safety letters, and pedestrian legal protection for non-motorized road users.
fairkehr Verlags GmbH
The fairkehr Publishing GmbH is a subsidiary of VCD Service GmbH. In addition to various timetable cards, excursion guides and the VCD in-house publications (e.g. through Europe or the VCD Auto-Umweltliste ), their product range includes the fairkehr magazine , the VCD's member magazine . The fairkehr has been published regularly since September 1987 and focuses on the topics of current environmental / transport policy, mobility and sustainable tourism. A broad service and opinion section complete the offer. There are currently six issues per year.
Arbitration board mobility
From 2004 to 2009, the VCD winner of the was the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (then Federal Ministry for Consumers) initiated and funded project arbitration body mobility . The arbitration board mediated in disputes between customers and long-distance public transport companies (train, bus, plane, ferry - no package tours) if the parties did not reach an agreement in the first step.
Networking and cooperation
Climate Alliance
The VCD is a member of the Climate Alliance Germany , an association of various development organizations, representatives of the two large Christian churches, environmental associations and other groups (e.g. attac or the German Alpine Association ). The Climate Alliance sees itself as a broad, socio-political alliance that advocates more and more resolute climate policy and aims to provide food for thought. So she sits down u. a. for the expansion of renewable energies and combined heat and power , for speed limits on motorways and a ticket tax.
Terminal station 21
The VCD Landesverband Baden-Württemberg is a partner in the alliance against the Stuttgart21 project. With the concept head station 21 , the action alliance has presented an alternative concept to the Deutsche Bahn project. The deputy state chairman Klaus Arnoldi took part in the arbitration talks about Stuttgart21 .
Alliance pro rail
The Pro Schiene Alliance is a broad alliance established in 2000 from the rail industry (rail and construction industry, rail transport companies, banks and insurance companies), environmental and passenger associations, traffic and automobile clubs , trade unions and rail enthusiasts, which acts as a “counterweight to concrete policy the mighty street lobby ”sees. The aim is to significantly increase the share of rail in passenger and freight traffic again. The VCD is a founding member and its chairman is on the board of Allianz pro Schiene.
Verkehrs-Club der Schweiz / Verkehrsclub Österreich
VCD partner organizations work in Switzerland ( Verkehrs-Club der Schweiz - VCS) and in Austria ( Verkehrsclub Österreich - VCÖ). There are contacts and collaborations between these associations.
European level
Transport and Environment (T&E) is the umbrella organization of 36 non-governmental European organizations from the sustainable transport sector (e.g. VCD). It has existed since 1989, influences EU decisions and bundles the national activities of its members on a European level.
The VCD is also a member of the European Passengers 'Federation (European Passengers' Federation - EPF).
literature
- Holger Jansen: Passenger Associations in Germany . In: Martin Schiefelbusch, Hans-Liudger Dienel (ed.): Customer interests in public transport. Consumer protection and consumer participation (= series of publications for traffic and technology . Vol. 96). Erich Schmidt Verlag, Berlin, 2009, ISBN 978-3-503-11009-4 , pp. 201-209.
- Mobility Atlas 2019 (PDF; 2.9 MB) Facts and figures on the transport transition. Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBS) and Verkehrsclub Deutschland e. V. (VCD), November 4, 2019(HBS and VCD have jointly published the Mobility Atlas 2019 under a free Creative Commons license.).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Annual report 2014. (PDF) VCD, p. 26 , accessed on January 29, 2017 .
- ↑ VCD: Self-Presentation. Retrieved January 29, 2017
- ↑ VCD: Project description of “On foot to school” , accessed on January 29, 2017.
- ↑ VCD: Project description of "FahrRad!" Accessed on January 29, 2017
- ↑ VCD: Topic page on local transport , accessed on January 29, 2017.
- ↑ Pro-Bahn: New rail tariffs in PRO BAHN 4/2001 , page 5 (PDF), accessed on January 17, 2010
- ^ VCD: Topic page on rail traffic , accessed on January 29, 2017.
- ^ Die Welt, December 5, 2005: Verkehrsclub VCD: Unrealistic schedule for expansion of the Rhine Valley Railway , accessed on June 14, 2013
- ↑ VCD: 1998–2005: Sustainable Transport Policy under Red-Green? accessed on January 29, 2017
- ↑ VCD: Topic page on freight transport , accessed on January 29, 2017.
- ↑ WDR2, August 13, 2014: WDR 2 Quintessenz - VCD-Auto-Umweltliste . ( Memento of October 17, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Retrieved September 22, 2014.
- ↑ VCD: The Best of the Best PDF, accessed on January 29, 2017
- ↑ JRC, UBA, September 2013: Green gas emissions from various fuels and drive types , accessed on September 22, 2014
- ↑ heise.de: Electricity comparison: CO2 emissions from electric and hybrid cars , accessed on September 22, 2014
- ↑ VCD: Auto-Umweltliste , accessed on January 6, 2012.
- ↑ a b VCD: Topic page speed limit , accessed on January 29, 2017.
- ↑ Tempo 30 for more life. VCD, accessed January 29, 2017 .
- ↑ European citizens' initiative "30kmh - makes the streets worth living!", Partner organizations , April 20, 2013
- ↑ European Citizens' Initiative 30 km / h, Commission registration number: ECI (2012) 000014
- ↑ The country needs new bikes. VCD archived from the original on March 16, 2010 ; accessed on January 29, 2017 .
- ^ VCD: Topic page air traffic , accessed on January 6, 2012.
- ↑ Supreme Administrative Court negotiates night flight ban , press release of the VCD federal board of March 13, 2012
- ↑ VCD: Topic Mobility for Seniors , accessed on January 29, 2017.
- ↑ Climate-friendly travel in old age. VCD, accessed January 29, 2017 .
- ↑ Destination nature: travel environmentally friendly and enjoy nature. VCD archived from the original on May 20, 2012 ; accessed on January 29, 2017 .
- ↑ www.transparency.de ( Memento from June 27, 2016 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on January 29, 2017
- ^ VCD: Member of the DNR.
- ↑ Profile of Allianz pro Schiene , accessed on January 29, 2017.