September 15, 2021. Everyone is talking about the traffic and mobility turnaround, but what does that mean? Discussions, suggestions and criticism are shaping the current debate, both at the local, state and federal level. “As a rule, measures are discussed that are intended to promote such a turnaround or which oppose it. It is less clear which overriding principles, goals and starting points a traffic turnaround should follow, ”says Prof. Udo Becker, head of the professorship for traffic ecology at the faculty of traffic sciences“ Friedrich List ”at the TU Dresden.

To discuss and clarify these questions, a specialist colloquium of German traffic ecologists took place today, September 15, 2021 at the “Friedrich List” Faculty of Traffic Sciences. Invited were Prof. Udo Becker and his team from the Professorship for Traffic Ecology. Around 40 participants - including representatives from German universities, from the Federal Environment Agency, from the Saxon State Ministry for Energy, Climate Protection, Environment and Agriculture, from Dresden Transport Planning and also from the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH - discussed the various aspects and parts of a “real” traffic turnaround. Everyone agreed that replacing engines and striving to become as climate-neutral as possible would by no means be enough: the turnaround in transport must encompass all modes of transport and all areas of society. It is much more fundamental than has been discussed so far, so the common tenor. “A real change in traffic is also a change in society,” says Udo Becker.

Declaration is intended to support actors in arguing about the turnaround in traffic

The highlight of the specialist conference was the adoption of the “Dresden Declaration on the Turnaround in Transport”. In it, the undersigned emphasize that the overriding goal of all activity in traffic is to ensure mobility. This emphasizes right at the beginning of the paper, "that this is not about prohibitions or the raised index finger," explains Udo Becker. Rather, the points are intended to be a support for the argument about the topic of the traffic turnaround. "We are addressing everyone who is involved in it either professionally in municipalities, ministries, companies or NGOs or privately in clubs, organizations or on a voluntary basis," says the Dresden traffic ecologist.

As a sub-goal of the traffic turnaround, the argumentation paper defines the “minimum traffic expenditure while covering all mobility needs defined as politically appropriate”. The core of this is a “change from attracting traffic to securing mobility”. The design of “really climate-neutral” traffic should be based on the principles of traffic avoidance, traffic shifting and traffic improvement, “in close integration with spatial planning, economic policy, financial policy, health policy and school policy”. Resilience and a high quality of life are mentioned as strategic goal orientations. In the implementation, not only the interests of today's users should be taken into account, but also those affected by “other people”, “other rooms” and “other generations”. The undersigned emphasized the responsibility of traffic planning for the design of attractive street spaces and thus livelier cities.

Prof. Udo Becker - on a mission for traffic ecology for more than three decades

For Prof. Udo Becker, the gathering of traffic ecologists represented the culmination of his full-time work as a professor and scientist, which will end on September 30, 2021 when he retires. Udo Becker, born in Schwenningen / Baden-Württemberg in 1957, has been the professor for traffic ecology at the TU Dresden for 27 years. He is one of the most renowned and often interviewed traffic ecologists in Germany. Reliable factual, arguable - but always fair and humorous, educating people about traffic and ecology has been his scientific mission for more than three decades, in order to "secure mobility for the future by imparting knowledge", as he says. In some years he gave around 40 lectures to employees from municipalities, ministries or NGOs. In addition, there were many other research projects in Germany and Europe as well as advanced training courses on mobility management for employees in city administrations, among others. in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.

Thousands of students excited and shaped with lectures
Around 300 students from up to 12 courses took part in his lecture “Environment and Transport” every year - around 8,000 young people in 27 years. This was one of the main reasons for the industrial engineer who studied at the University of Karlsruhe and at Prognos AG in Switzerland to switch to the TU Dresden in 1994: “The old goal of ever more and ever faster traffic leads to a dead end, and we know that. My goal was therefore to develop concepts with the students as to how mobility and climate protection can work together. I am very happy when our graduates help to implement this in administrations, ministries or planning companies after completing their studies. There is now something in the world that is passed on, that is spread and implemented, ”says the resident of Dresden who has never regretted moving from Basel to Dresden.

Senior professorship with a focus on international projects and teaching formats
As of October, Udo Becker will not be parting with “his” faculty of traffic sciences “Friedrich List”. He will stay with her as a senior professor. Then he would like to focus his work on international research projects and other teaching formats. He enthuses: “Nowhere in the world is there something like this faculty, embedded in a city and region that is so exciting and with many international contacts - especially traditionally in Eastern Europe. I am looking forward to being able to work here a little longer."

The members of the Transport Science Faculty “Friedrich List” are also happy about this: “I am very happy that Udo Becker has helped shape our transport issues over many years with a lot of heart and expertise. We would like to thank him warmly for his life's work so far ”, the dean of the faculty, Prof. Günther Prokop, pays tribute to his valued colleague and adds:“ The importance of transport economics as a subject will continue to grow in the future. It is very fortunate for the faculty that Udo Becker is staying with us as a senior professor and that we can shape the mobility of the future together."

“Dresden Declaration on the Turnaround in Transport”

focal point for the declaration 
Udo Becker, Chair of Traffic Ecology
Faculty of Traffic and Transport Sciences „Friedrich List“, TU Dresden
Tel.:  +49 351 463-36566
E-Mail: 

press contact
Anke Richter-Baxendale, public relations
Faculty of Traffic and Transport Sciences „Friedrich List“, TU Dresden
Tel.:  +49 351 463-34908