Rail Associations Demand Compensation from the Federal Government for Losses

A coalition of rail associations, companies, and customers of rail freight transport is jointly demanding that the federal government compensate for the additional construction costs arising from corridor renovations and take responsibility. The costs for energy, personnel, and vehicles, to name just a few important factors, multiply due to the diversion around the closed corridors during the major renovation between 2024 and 2030.

(Berlin) If the additional costs are passed on to end customers, there is a risk of traffic shifting to the roads. This is because there are no equivalent alternatives available for the rail freight transport affected by the major renovation. Leaving it to fend for itself not only jeopardizes the transport policy shift goals but also poses a significant economic burden on rail freight transport. The current construction and diversion concepts will cause significant train cancellations.

Together, the industry has determined the annual additional costs due to the major renovation that the federal government should cover according to the polluter pays principle. Specifically, it concerns three items that the industry has calculated as additional costs, resulting in a total of 236 million euros per year:

• Additional costs due to diversions, which amount to several hundred kilometers on some routes (132 million euros)
• Uncovered fixed costs for train cancellations (60 million euros)
• Uncovered costs due to shorter trains due to lack of capacity compared to the regular route (44 million euros)

It has been communicated to both the BMDV and the ministers-president of the federal states that the major renovation is a joint task of DB, the federal government, and the entire industry, and what responsibility the federal government bears for the often medium-sized companies.

The Calculation Basis of Industry Stakeholders

Photo: ©  THE FREIGHT RAILWAYS

Title Photo: © Loginfo24