Berlin, Hamburg lift salt bans to de-ice pavements amid cold spell
Berlin and Hamburg on Friday temporarily lifted a ban on the use of salt to de-ice pavements amid freezing temperatures in northern Germany.
While German cities traditionally used salt to clear ice and snow on pavements, the practice has been banned due to its harmful effects on plants and concrete.
Hamburg has experienced what is likely to be the coldest January since 2010, with an average temperature of -0.4 degrees Celsius. The cold spell has turned pavements into icy hazards, causing havoc for pedestrians.
City authorities said the ban has been lifted as a result of "prolonged frost and the associated dangers posed by ice sheets and compacted snow."
"We want everyone to be able to get around the city safely – and we are thinking in particular of older people and those with limited mobility," said transport official Anjes Tjarks.
"In order to minimize the dangers of icy roads, we have now issued a general ruling lifting the ban on the use of de-icing salt in Hamburg for two weeks."
Berlin has also suffered from dangerously icy pavements, with Mayor Kai Wegner warning of "extreme weather conditions with freezing rain and ongoing frost."
The capital's transport minister, Ute Bonde, announced the lifting of the ban on Friday, saying authorities plan to use all available resources to combat slippery conditions.