Cities mock bus-lane permit for Porsches

BERLIN, Germany - German cities are opposed to government plans to allow all-electric and hybrid cars to use bus lanes in urban areas.

Berlin is keen to jump-start its sluggish home market for zero-emission runabouts without offering tax breaks or other financial incentives. The measures are being lined-up to take effect from February 15 2015.

The plans from German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt include free parking.

PLANS CRITICISED

Germany's Association of Cities is opposing the plan and officials in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart and Cologne intend to refuse to implement the rules.

A spokesman for the environmental department of Bremen city council explained: "Allowing a small number of electric cars to get in the way of mass public transport does not amount to the kind of public transport policy we want."

Talking to Spiegel Online, federal consumer watchdog Ottmar Lell, criticised a clause in the draft plans which would allow cars such as the 300kW Porsche Cayenne plug-in hybrid to use bus lanes despite the car's only marginal contribution towards lowering overall emissions.