The energetic chief co-ordinator of the campaign against the proposed Mosel bridge Sarah Washington has just sent the following encouraging news from Germany. We have been agitating against the proposed eyesore (superimposed on this photograph) since May 2009 and have our fingers very tightly crossed that the scheme will be abandoned as German politics rearrange themselves.
The Green Party's overwhelming success at the state polls in Rheinland-Pfalz and Baden-Württemberg yesterday has elicited an immediate response from federal transport Minister Ramsauer. He already threatens to pull the plug on the Hochmoselübergang, and the equally controversial rail project Stuttgart 21. It seems he wants to spend the money elsewhere and will be happy to use this opportunity to ditch unreasonable projects that have attracted high levels of protest.Even the current RLP State Premier Kurt Beck acknowledged last night that infrastructure projects would have to be the first thing to give way (in upcoming coalition talks with the Greens). The Greens are in the kingmaker position, being able to hold talks with both major parties.
All is looking very positive today for the timely end of the Mosel Monster. We won't be celebrating though until it is clear that it is well and truly buried. Then we can begin to develop plans to transform the land for the motorway into a public art attraction worthy of global interest – to match the quality of the wine that surrounds it. If we have a little magic on our side, we will succeed!
German speakers can learn more here.