Berlin’s car ban campaign: ‘It’s about how we want to live, breathe and play’

Petition to forbid private car use in area equal in size to London's zones 1 and 2 has collected 50,000 backers

A citizens' initiative calling for a ban on private car use in central Berlin would create the largest car-free urban area in the world.

The campaign group Berlin Autofrei has taken the first step in a process known as the people's referendum, submitting a petition with more than 50,000 signatures calling for a ban covering the 88 sq km (34 sq mile) area circled by the S-Bahn ring" trainline - an area roughly equal in size to all the boroughs in London's zones 1 and 2.