The dispute over faster planning procedures has been raging in the traffic light coalition for weeks. Transport Minister Wissing wants to massively expand the motorway network. Rail associations see no reason for this.
In the dispute over the faster expansion and new construction of motorways demanded by Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP), several rail freight associations and trade unions have spoken out against the minister’s plans.
“It is clear to us that no further new motorway construction is needed to cope with the expected growth in freight traffic,” said the general manager of the network of European railways, Peter Westenberger, on Monday in Berlin. In the association, above all, the freight rail competitors of Deutsche Bahn are organized. Wissing rejected the criticism.
“The supply bottlenecks used by the transport minister to justify new roads are not an issue of a lack of infrastructure, but are most likely to be feared as a result of the shortage of truck drivers, which is becoming increasingly difficult,” emphasized Westenberger. “That’s why we believe that politicians would be well advised to put more on the rails.”
Wissing said on Monday: “The demands on our transport infrastructure will increase massively for all modes of transport.” The road plays a crucial role in the transport of goods, and it will remain so in the future. “Nevertheless, we are doing everything we can to promote a shift to rail. This is also necessary because freight traffic will increase overall. That’s what all the forecasts say and we shouldn’t close our eyes to that. Standstill in the infrastructure sector is the worst answer at a time of a turning point . That’s why I’m fighting to ensure that road and rail can be built faster.”
Capacity “not at the limit”
On Monday, Westenberger was supported by the Pro-Rail Alliance, the Association of Freight Car Owners in Germany and the Union of German Train Drivers (GDL). The current capacity in rail freight transport is currently “not at the limit”, emphasized GDL boss Claus Weselsky. Freight transport by rail could very well continue to grow, even if more investment was urgently needed there.
“New motorways are not in the overriding public interest, only the preservation of the existing ones,” emphasized Dirk Flege, General Manager of the Pro-Rail Alliance. He accused the FDP of leading “an ideologically charged attitude debate”. Little is heard from the Ministry about the necessary expansion and new construction of the rail infrastructure.
A dispute over faster planning procedures in traffic has been raging in the governing coalition for weeks. Wissing wants roads and bridges built faster. The Greens strictly reject acceleration of new motorway construction. A coalition committee had not achieved a breakthrough in the past week either.
Source: Stern
