Winter service | Slippery road management in Berlin: Hardly more than road salt

Last season the winter services were barely able to keep up. What was particularly serious was the failure to clear the sidewalks in many places. This is the responsibility of the homeowners. Photo: dpa/Sebastian Gollnow It's getting noticeably cooler in Berlin. Next weekend the temperatures are expected to fall into the minus range. In eastern Brandenburg, some drivers have already had to scrape off their windows. Ice escapades like those at the beginning of the year are not expected at the moment due to the lack of precipitation. However, the approaching winter raises the question of what has actually become of the Berlin Senate's plans to possibly re-regulate the legal basis for winter service. However, as can be seen from a communication from the Senate Transport Administration to the Green MP Oda Hassepaß, little is likely to change now.

Last season, the principle that property owners were responsible for clearing adjacent sidewalk sections, which were often only short, came under criticism. But not everyone fulfilled this obligation. A number of sidewalks remained uncleared and became slippery slopes. The control and replacement orders by the public order offices apparently did not work properly either.

In view of stubborn ice surfaces on sidewalks, accidents and overloaded emergency rooms, the CDU and SPD, with great media attention, legally permitted the use of road salt in exceptional cases, but immediately pointed out the technical limits of the process.

Even if the coalition members wanted to maintain "the basic responsibility and obligation to bear the costs of the residents," they admitted in a joint motion: "There is a need for a fundamental evaluation and, if necessary, reform of the winter service, especially with regard to footpaths."

The Senate was commissioned by the House of Representatives to carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the cleaning performance of the last few years and any consequences. The House of Representatives decided that the report, including any proposed amendments, must be submitted by June 2026. »Berlin must not slide from one crisis to the next. That's why we're not just stopping at immediate measures, but have commissioned the government to carry out fundamental reform," explained the then SPD parliamentary group leader Raed Saleh.

There are no results to date. The report "has been prepared and is currently in the Senate's internal voting process," writes the Senate Transport Administration in a response to a written question from MP Hassepaß.

“There is no risk of slippery chaos on sidewalks next winter if all property owners comply with their legal obligations.”

However, the Senate administration apparently already anticipates some of the report's findings in its response. An adjustment to the small-scale regulation that makes the homeowners responsible is not necessary, on the contrary,” writes the Senate. Reason: Winter service takes place at short notice and is difficult to plan. A move away from the small-scale regulation would “not make sense” given the high personnel requirements.

“There is no risk of slippery chaos on sidewalks next winter if all property owners comply with their legal obligations,” the authority continues. An expectation with which the Senate had already entered the previous winter. He now wants to point out the obligations more publicly. “The legal situation is known,” says Hassepaß. "That didn't change the fact that it didn't work at all."

In the end, little remains of the signaled desire for reform apart from the limited use of road salt. The possibility has also been created to commission the BSR to carry out replacement clearing throughout Berlin in case of doubt if residents do not fulfill their obligations. But the state-owned company has itself rejected this for the coming cold period: “Due to the BSR's already extensive responsibilities, they are reaching the limits of their performance. The BSR has therefore already announced that they will not be able to take on this task in the coming winter of 2026/2027," the Senate announced.

If the Greens have their way, the city-wide winter service should still be in the hands of the BSR. The Greens hope that the costs incurred by property owners and tenants would not be significant. Ultimately, the private service providers now hired would also have to be paid. Furthermore, if there is an increased need for clearance, the BSR should not clear all the sidewalks itself. You should then have the opportunity to commission external companies. The BSR would then be responsible for city-wide control.

Another option that was brought into play at the beginning of the year by the pedestrian association Fuss e.V.: put entire streets or specified areas out to private companies. For example, the allocation of responsibility for chimney work is regulated.

So there are several ideas. In view of this, Oda Hassepaß criticizes the Senate's inaction: "It seems as if the first snow will fall this year before the necessary measures are taken." And that may actually take a while. So far the forecasts are predicting a rather mild winter.

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