Parkchaos am BER: Rudow citizens are desperate about lack of parking!

Parkchaos am BER: Rudow citizens are desperate about lack of parking!

With the arrival of summer time, many capitals are moving back on trips. But the high parking costs at Berlin Brandenburg (BER) Airport not only cause resentment on the streets, but also drive some travelers to park in the nearby districts, such as Rudow. As a result, residents are increasingly fighting with clogged streets and missing parking spaces. According to a passenger survey of 2024, only 18 % of passengers travel to the airport by car with their own car, which also exacerbates the situation. Axel Schmidt, spokesman for the airport, showed understanding for the frustration of the Rudow, but emphasized that the responsibility for the parking behavior of the passengers was not in the hands of the airport. "The responsibility for resident parking spaces is responsible for the road traffic authorities," says Schmidt. However, the airport itself offers over 5000 parking spaces for employees and partner companies, which raises the question of whether better communication of the offers is necessary here.

Another challenge is the increased security measures that are currently being developed on BER. In response to conspicuous climate protests and interference actions, these were necessary, which have already led to an increased need for security in recent years. For example, activists of the “last generation” have tried several times to disturb flight operations, whereupon the federal police tightened their measures to prevent similar incidents. Among other things, activists entered the security area of Frankfurt Airport and disturbed flight operations, which shows how vulnerable the infrastructure of the airports is. A corresponding security concept is based on the onion shell principle, in which multilayered security measures are implemented in order to counteract impending dangers comprehensively.

security measures and infrastructure

The importance of efficient security management systems at airports cannot be emphasized often enough. According to the current projects that are part of the river, a variety of protective measures are researched, ranging from the analysis of the threats from hazardous substances to the development of a new airport security IT concept. It is also working on better integration of early detection systems to identify potential threats at an early stage. These developments are urgently necessary, since airports as places with high accumulation of people also represent a goal for disorders.

The Federal Government also plans to force airport operators by legal ordinance to improve their security precautions after the resistance of two major airports has failed a commitment to improve security measures. This shows that the protection of critical infrastructures is a task for society as a whole, which all involved - from airport operators to authorities - takes on a duty.

It remains to be seen how the situation around BER will develop, both in terms of parking for travelers and with regard to safety at these important traffic hubs. However, it is certain that both travelers and residents can hope for a quiet summer, in which travel pleasure and security are in accordance with.