In wieweit die British Forces Germany die angekündigte Lockerung der  Senne-Sperrzeiten auch langfristig umsetzen bzw. einhalten muss abgewartet werden.

Wie in einem der ersten Ideencamps vorgeschlagen, wäre ein Echtzeit-Infosystem zu den Sperr- bzw. Öffnungszeiten des Truppenübungsplatzes sehr sinnvoll.

In einem heute versendeten Schreiben an den Kommandeur der British Forces Germany regt Schlangen 4.0 die gemeinsame Umsetzung an und bietet Unterstützung.

Mit OPEN SENNE setzt sich Schlangen 4.0 für verbindliche Öffnungszeiten des Truppenübungsplatzes ein.

Headquarters British Forces Germany
Commander British Forces Germany
Brigadier Richard Clements
Catterick Barracks
Detmolder Strasse 440
Bielefeld 33605

CC:
The Rt Hon Mark Lancaster
Minister of State for the Armed Forces (E-Mail)

Dr. Ursula von der Leyen
Bundesministerin der Verteidigung (E-Mail)

Army Press Office Germany (Twitter)

Dear Brigadier Richard Clements,

we are writing you on behalf of Schlangen 4.0, a local non-governmental organization from the village of Schlangen, working towards sustainable development in our region. Our efforts are entirely based on civic commitment and participation.

Schlangen, as you know, holds the largest parts of the Senne Military Training Area (Senne MTA), which is under command of the British Forces. The citizens of Schlangen, with its suburbs Kohlstädt and in particular Oesterholz-Haustenbeck, have a very close relation to this unique landscape, which is our homeland and constitutes our local identity.

As you will be aware, there is currently a growing concern among the citizens of the neighbouring towns and villages of the Senne MTA about the increasing number of off-times to the road network in the Senne. Over decades there was a fruitful coexistence between military training operations and access to the Senne. Nowadays this balance is in danger. We, as the locals, are alarmed by the increasing amount of off-times, which last for months and in particular about the fact, that the provided information about open-times is not reliable.

Regular and binding access to the roads of the Senne is a crucial element of our quality of life. We use the road network to experience our homeland, to enjoy the beauty of the landscape, to increase our health. For the local workforce open roads results in shortened ways to reach their work place. Local companies suffer from longer driving distances, resulting into economic loss.

Therefore we call upon the British Army to revert back to regular and binding open-times, at least during weekends and peak times of office-hour traffic. Not only as a short-term but as sustainable solution.

In addition, and as a main concern, we kindly request from your good office the implementation of a reliable real-time information system about the off- and open-times of the Senne MTA. As we believe, in times of internet and social media, providing real time information can be implemented with ease. To reach this important goal, Schlangen 4.0 is offering you intellectual and technical support. We would be pleased to work close with your concerned departments, to have a real-time information system in place at the earliest.

Thanking you for your understanding and looking forward to a fruitful cooperation.

Yours faithfully

Schlangen 4.0