Rail Traffic Woes: Could a Rail Summit Be on the Horizon?
Following the train disorder: Possibility of a rail meeting? - After the train accident, will there be a meeting regarding railways?
Caution: Strong language ahead!
A serious heap of frustration, boiling anger, and clear demands: From all parties, members of the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament have been slamming the issues in rail traffic. The main gripe: appalling communication from the rail company. The main call to action: a no-holds-barred sit-down with the rail company, a.k.a., a rail summit. Minister-President Alexander Schweitzer (SPD) should make this a top bloody priority.
Transport Minister Katrin Eder (Greens) called out the rail company for blatant communication blunders and an unacceptable distance from customers. It's not bloody acceptable to just announce massive short-term restrictions in rail traffic. Instead, major events such as the Rhineland-Palatinate Day, the Wurstmarkt, and Bundesliga games should be factored into the planning.
Taking back the lost trust
The rail company needs to earn back the trust of passengers, warned the Green politician. But there's a structural issue here. The rail company's been starved of funds. The capacities on the rail lines to Rhineland-Palatinate need to be expanded. She's also hoping for federal government support. The new Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder (CDU) hails from Rhineland-Palatinate.
FDP member Marco Weber and Stephan Wefelscheid of the Free Voters advocate for a rail summit with the rail company to discuss the numerous problems. Opposition politician Wefelscheid is urging Minister-President Schweitzer to make this summit a top priority.
A long list of deficiencies
Benedikt Oster of the SPD lists the issues rail passengers face: The replacement bus service is unreliable, there are no real-time updates for passengers during breakdowns, station platforms are outdated, and the toilets are in a bloody awful state. The rail company is gradually losing the trust of passengers due to these circumstances, leading people to switch back to cars.
CDU member Gerd Schreiner pointed to the responsibility of the federal and state governments, with the involvement of the socially aware. Urgent investments are needed in the construction of new rail tracks.
Clearthinking about the federal government
The topic of regional rail has been blatantly neglected by the federal government, explained the leader of the racist group, AfD member Ralf Schönborn. There's an administration of stagnation on the rail lines. Green politician Lea Heidbreder demanded that the rail system be strengthened. Rhineland-Palatinate must not be left behind, for Christ's sake!
The fact that the rail company finally wants to catch up on the investment backlog in rail infrastructure is fundamentally welcome, explained the Rhineland-Palatinate Association of Entrepreneurs. A high-performance rail infrastructure is absolutely necessary for our country's economic future. "At the same time, one should not overlook: For many companies in Rhineland-Palatinate, the current restrictions come at an extremely unfavorable time," criticized Karsten Tacke, CEO of the Association of Entrepreneurs' Associations in Rhineland-Palatinate (LVU). The logistics are already heavily burdened - by persistent low water levels in the Rhine, by strengthened border controls, but also by a shortage of skilled workers.
"Furthermore, if large-scale train cancellations were to occur, supply chains and commuter connections would face additional stress," Tacke warned. "That's why it would have been important to communicate earlier and more transparently." Better coordination would have allowed businesses and employees to better prepare for the situation.
"This is possible, as shown by the recent rehabilitation of the Riedbahn," said the LVU CEO. "This should be the standard for future construction projects."
Construction sites causing pesky delays
Several routes in Rhineland-Palatinate and the Rhine-Main region are currently causing the most pist-achoffing patience test for train passengers and commuters. Several train connections are restricted or not available at all, such as the S-Bahn lines 8 and 9 crucial for the Rhine-Main region, or the trains between Koblenz and Mainz.
The replacement bus service to Limburg was only extended beyond the weekend recently. The railway apologized for the short-notice restrictions in rail traffic at the beginning of May.
On the S-Bahn lines S1 and S2, as well as S8 and S9 in the eastern part of Frankfurt, there will still be cancellations until the end of May on different nights and weekends due to construction work at several underground stations. Construction is also taking place between Koblenz and Mainz: passengers have to switch to buses at different times and locations. New information on how it will continue on the route is expected on Friday (16.5.).
Plan to arrive on time
The passenger association Pro Bahn once again severely criticized the current conditions in the region. The "emergency state" on the railway has become the new normal. The restrictions have a massive impact on commuters and travelers. "We're not talking about schedule deviations of up to 15 minutes, but about significant delays and cancellations. In reality, this means that only people with flexible or adjustable working hours can cope with this."
The association continues to advise passengers to check themselves early on the internet and the Bahn apps, "ideally one to two hours beforehand, to be able to switch to an earlier train to arrive on time at your destination".
The industry, finance, and transportation sectors might find it necessary to collaborate in enhancing the rail infrastructure, considering the current woes in rail traffic. The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the protection of the environment, which could potentially include measures for funding and managing infrastructural projects in the rail sector.
