Significant decrease in mobility observed in November
In November 2020, Germany witnessed a significant decrease in mobility, with a drop of 8.5% compared to the previous year. This decline was particularly pronounced in city-states such as Hamburg, Berlin, and Bremen, where mobility decreased by around 19%, 19%, and 16% respectively.
The reduction in mobility was largely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated government-imposed restrictions aimed at controlling viral spread. These measures, implemented during the second wave of infections, included limits on public gatherings, closures of non-essential businesses, and promotions of remote work.
One key factor contributing to the mobility decline was the avoidance of long-distance travel. Across Germany, people appeared to be avoiding non-essential travel during the lockdown, leading to a significant decrease in long-distance travel. This trend was particularly notable on weekends, contributing to the overall decrease in mobility on weekends.
The decline in long-distance travel also contributed to the reduction in average travel distance observed since the introduction of restrictions on November 2nd. For instance, the average travel distance decreased by 10% on weekdays and 25% on weekends during this period.
Interestingly, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern were the only two federal states where long-distance travel was not significantly decreased in November compared to the previous year. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, in fact, had mobility about 9% higher than the previous year.
The mobility decline on weekends also suggests that leisure and recreational activities were avoided during this period. This is supported by the fact that key urban sectors such as passenger transport, hospitality, arts, and entertainment suffered major declines due to the pandemic.
It's worth noting that the ICE trains had fewer passengers after the start of the lockdown on November 4th, 2020, reflecting the overall decrease in mobility.
In conclusion, the drastic decrease in mobility in November 2020 in German city-states was primarily driven by government COVID-19 restrictions during a significant wave of infections, coupled with behavioural responses limiting movement to control the pandemic. While other factors such as energy policy or economic policies may have played a role in later years, they were not the primary drivers of the mobility drops observed in November 2020.
Other factors, such as energy policy or economic policies, may have influenced mobility trends in subsequent years, but they were not the primary drivers of the mobility drops observed in November 2020, given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated government-imposed restrictions. General news regarding politics might also delve into discourse around the consequences of this mobility decline and the decisions made by authorities in response to it.
