Germany is offering free transport in five major cities – Bonn, Essen, Herrenberg, Reutlingen and Mannheim – in a bid to cut pollution

Germany’s government is considering making public transport free in five major cities, to help cut pollution and reduce the number of cars on busy roads.

Bonn, Essen, Herrenberg, Reutlingen and Mannheim will begin trialling the scheme by the end of the year, according to German newspaper Die Welt which said it had seen a letter penned by government ministers.

The radical move is designed to prevent Germany being slapped with EU penalties over air pollution.

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A “low emission zone” for large transporter vehicles was also reportedly suggested, which would increase the number of electric-powered taxis and drive demand for electric cars.

However Die Welt added that the programme was “not in planning phase yet”, and that there were many details still to be ironed out. The federal government has given no indication of how much it would have to be subsidized.

Added to that, the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) told news agency DPA that almost half the money that goes into the municipal public transport companies comes from ticket sales, and that shortfall would likely end up being footed by the taxpayer.

A spokesperson also told the Die Welt that a supplier for new electric buses would have to be found, who could produce the vehicles at short notice.

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