Cologne's subway: KVB starts offensive against homelessness and drugs!
Cologne's subway: KVB starts offensive against homelessness and drugs!
Lindenthal, Deutschland - The Cologne Verkehrsbetriebe (KVB) are increasingly facing challenges for their subway stops. According to current reports, between 40 and 45 homeless people can be found in particular at the Appellhofplatz stop in the early morning hours. The problems are shifted here: homeless people stay in the stations, consume drugs and leave garbage, which now raises significant security concerns. KVB CEO Stefanie Haaks expressed that the aggression had increased towards employees and passengers. This has also unsettled parents, expressing concerns about the security of their children on their way to school.
Against this background, the KVB launched a comprehensive security and cleanliness offensive. Among other things, possible nightly closures of the stops between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. are planned to defuse the situation. A pilot project on Appellhofplatz should test this measure. In addition, measures that have already been carried out have an effect. Since March there have been regular joint tours with the police and regulatory office, where homeless people are brought closer to help.innovative approaches and measures
The KVB plans to use special cleaning agents with microorganisms in order to remove odor nuisance, especially by urine and faeces. In addition, cleaning intervals are shortened at problem stops such as Neumarkt and Ebertplatz. This is intended to significantly improve the hygienic conditions. Another innovative step: In the future, "passenger teams teams" will be used in six districts to increase the presence and quickly remedy grievances.
These teams will play an important role, since they not only maintain contact with passengers and authorities, but should also react actively to existing problems. In the cold season, KVB also plan to accompany homeless people from 5 a.m. from the wards and offer them help such as shuttle buses at emergency sleeping points. An additional project is the creation of a "heat room" in a KVB bus.
Cooperation with the city and strengthen feeling of security
A networked approach is also sought: the KVB closely cooperates with the police, regulatory office and street workers to intensify the joint stripes. Haaks describes the pressing problems and emphasizes the importance of a faster reaction to these challenges. However, the success of the measures will significantly depend on how well the implementation is successful and whether the approved 1.5 million euros are actually available for the project.
The new concept of KVB comes into force on January 1, 2026, with improving security and attitude to life in Cologne. With these measures, the KVB hope to offer both passengers a safe environment and to grant support to those affected. The goal is clear: a harmonious balance between security and support for everyone who uses the Cologne subway.
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| Ort | Lindenthal, Deutschland |
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