Dilapidated roads and rails, dilapidated bridges – the transport routes in Germany are getting old. The transport ministers of the federal states no longer want to be held back by the federal government.
The transport ministers of the federal states want to create the basis 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. North Rhine-Westphalia’s Transport Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) spoke of a “multi-billion sum”. A restart of infrastructure financing is necessary.
Fund is to be implemented in the coming legislative period
“We want to use the fund to respond to the infrastructure crisis in Germany, which we see every day with dilapidated bridges and an unreliable rail system,” said Krischer as the current chairman of the Conference of Transport Ministers. Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) made a proposal for an infrastructure fund in the spring. But nothing has happened since then. Therefore, the Conference of Transport Ministers is now taking the process into its own hands. The fund must be implemented by the next legislative period at the latest, said Krischer. “No federal government will be able to avoid an infrastructure fund anymore.”
The common goal must be to be able to present political decision-makers with “a balanced and future-proof fund model for decision-making” in the coming legislative period, says the unanimous, cross-party decision of the transport ministers. “Without an effective change in strategy, further deterioration is to be expected and damaging events will become more realistic.”
Wissing, who did not take part in the conference of state ministers in Duisburg, said on ARD that each state level must finance its own infrastructure. “The states for the state and local roads and the federal government for the federal roads.” An infrastructure fund is being considered at the federal level. “However, this does not affect the states or municipalities, but only the federal highways, the federal highways and of course the federal railways.”
Decades for renovations
The VMK expects Wissing to follow his words with actions, said Saarland Transport Minister Petra Berg (SPD). Last but not least, the collapse of the Carola Bridge in Dresden highlighted the need for action. The infrastructure fund must be set up in such a way that it can last for many years and cannot falter from household to household.
Baden-Württemberg’s Transport Minister Winfried Hermann (Greens) said the renovation offensive would take ten to 20 years. The major road construction projects of the 1960s to 1980s need to be addressed now. This also applies to locks and railway bridges, some of which are up to 100 years old.
“No matter who forms the next federal government, they have to face this question,” said Herrmann. In the end, the fund will probably have to be protected by law. The next federal government should be able to draw on the transport ministers’ concept for its coalition agreement.
Financing also with private funds
According to NRW Minister Krischer, the fund could be financed with income from truck tolls or vehicle taxes. According to the transport ministers’ decision, CO2 pricing in transport could also be used to finance transport infrastructure.
Berlin’s Transport Senator Ute Bonde (CDU) said that if the debt brake cannot be changed, other financing instruments for the infrastructure would have to be found. It is therefore also being examined whether and how private capital can be used. “It’s really close to 12,” Bonde said.
The Rhineland-Palatinate Transport Minister Daniela Schmitt (FDP) said that capital from large companies and insurance companies could also be used for the fund. There should be no bans on thinking. Private capital must also be used for projects that are important to society as a whole.
Experts: 100 billion per year would be needed
According to calculations by the Cologne Institute for the German Economy (IW), the total investment requirement in transport infrastructure alone will amount to more than 100 billion euros annually by 2030. The need is particularly great among municipalities; they actually need over 60 billion euros every year.
The infrastructure is also suffering from growing traffic. According to IW, there was almost 39 percent more traffic on German roads in 2022 than 20 years before. In rail transport, traffic performance increased by more than 75 percent compared to 1992. According to IW, it takes on average almost 23 years from the start of preliminary planning for a new railway until the first train rolls over the tracks.
Source: Stern
