The transport infrastructure in Germany is dilapidated in many places. At their conference in Duisburg, the transport ministers of the federal states are pushing for a special fund worth billions.
The transport ministers of the federal states want to lay the foundation for a special fund worth billions for the dilapidated roads, bridges and railways in many places by the next federal election. To this end, they want to immediately set up a commission that is open to all countries and will develop the concept for a legally secure infrastructure fund. This emerges from a joint resolution of the Transport Ministers’ Conference in Duisburg, which is available to the German Press Agency. The federal government will also be included in the commission. The committee will begin working on the concept immediately.
The common goal must be to be able to present “a balanced and future-proof fund model for decision-making” to political decision-makers in the coming legislative period, according to the resolution. “Without an effective change in strategy, further deterioration is to be expected and damaging events will become more realistic.”
Wissing was missing in Duisburg
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) had already brought up a corresponding proposal for an infrastructure fund. Wissing himself was not at the transport ministers’ conference.
The state transport ministers regretted that Wissing’s ministry had not presented a concept by their autumn conference, as they had requested. A “fresh start” in infrastructure financing and thus the establishment of a transport infrastructure fund are urgently needed, it said.
Source: Stern
