He wants more security on the most dangerous place in the Switzerland

Urs Müller is on the Centralbahnplatz in Basel: large, strong, a red scarf around the neck. The scarf is his trademark, with the bright red piece of clothing sass Müller during 16 years in the Canton of Parliament, knows him the whole of Basel.

Urs Müller is actually like a Rock in the Surf, usually. The son of a shoemaker has brought forward in his political career always the encounters with people of the intellectual conversation. But now he is angry. "This place is dangerous," he says. He rides the bike almost daily over or accompanied his disabled sister to the train.

in fact, the Federal office of transport has classified the tram stop on the square in front of the railway station Basel in the autumn of 2017 as the most dangerous of the Switzerland. The reason is two tram lines directly in front of the entrance to the train station across the square. "Director of building Hans-Peter Wessels would have enough time to measures planned, says Urs Müller.

construction

The Director of building block. To him, politicians of all Stripes are currently in Basel, to speak ill. On the Central railway place is a fight for weeks. Wessels had conducted in the way that on the Central railway square is the redevelopment of the tram to tracks is done from the end of March, without the danger of the situation is defused. It rained initiatives in the Basel Grand Council.

in Addition, the disability umbrella Association for Inclusion and Urs Müller have written an appeal to block the construction. Albeit for different reasons. Inclusion does not agree, such as the disabled tram entrance. Urs Müller is not accepted, however, that a construction site on the Central railroad is torn space, without at the same time the prerequisite for more security.

The former great Council of the left green party Basta has been made in the past year, a proposal publicly that he has developed together with experts in the field. "Müller-the Track" call the now numerous fighters for a better Centralbahnplatz the Plan. It goes like this: Today, the tram lines 1 and 8, which come from the market hall, cross the square directly in front of the station entrance. And make it to the danger zone. These two lines should be conducted in accordance with müller's proposal in the future. Both could use the bus stop in front of the station, will no longer have to cross the square. For his Plan, it just need a few structural interventions, and it would be a great achievement, says Müller.

Urs Müller rides the bike almost daily about the course or to accompany the mobility-impaired sister.

It is with this attitude are not alone: An improvement of the situation in the danger zone of the railway station, is urgently needed, say many politicians. On Wednesday, it was transferred in the Canton of Parliament, implied a Motion with this concern. All of the groups were closed behind them, and the government was ready to accept. You must now submit within three months a response, such as the Central railway can be mitigated place as soon as possible.

But the dispute remains. In a week, the building Department would like to start rails with the controversial renovation of the tram. The Director of planning Hans-Peter Wessels argued on Wednesday in the Parliament, it is a hurry, since 80 percent of the rails were in an alarming state. Because you could not wait until the procedures for track construction, because this would take two, three years.

Beat Leuthardt, who has tabled the Motion. Until December 2020, the planning and approval process should be through. "By the end of 2021, the forecourt to the station building, tram can be free," says Leuthardt, who is a member of Urs Müller Basta.

The chances of winning are 50:50

The Director of the Basel transport authority have confirmed that they could soon be so far, says Leuthardt. And from the Federal office of transport, the confirmation came that the grant, if in Basel all on the same rope pull, could be granted in three to six months. "If Wessels has not until December a template ready, we will know the will of the people to enforce," he says. He did not know that also in the construction Department, several management employees were in agreement with it, such as the planning Director of verschleppe the concern.

Now is speculation, how far the remains because of the Objections have a suspensive effect. The disabled people's organisation Inclusion is still in negotiations, however, shows a willingness to pull the opposition back as soon as their demands are met. Urs Müller, however, sees no reason to do so – after all, he is not in vain as a Rock in the Surf.

The Federal office of transport may revoke the suspensive effect, would have to notify this decision to the objectors, however, in writing. This has not yet happened. So, too, if the reconstruction of the tracks can be started, as planned, in a week. The chances of stands, 50:50, said the Director of public works.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 24.03.2019, 19:55 PM