Germany's Railways Construction Sites: Insufficient Domestic Projects?
In the heart of southwest Germany, the state of Baden-Württemberg is currently grappling with a series of railway construction disruptions. The Association of Towns and Municipalities BW, led by Christiane Conzen, has voiced criticism towards the railway company for not announcing construction measures early enough and for lacking transparency in duration.
These construction sites are causing significant disruptions, closures, and even train cancellations across various regions. For instance, commuters travelling between Tübingen and Reutlingen, Ulm and Friedrichshafen, and Karlsruhe and Basel are experiencing the brunt of these disturbances.
The Ministry of Transport, headed by Winfried Hermann (Greens), acknowledges the challenges faced by transport planners in setting up and expanding rail replacement traffic under extreme time pressure. However, they affirm that a large wave of construction work will still come to the region before the full operation of Stuttgart 21.
The state has also criticized the communication of the railway company regarding the construction sites. In response, the Bahn has emphasized the need for open, transparent, and customer-friendly communication during construction work.
To mitigate the impact on commuters, the Baden-Württemberg Transport Association is supporting transport companies with personnel and financial resources to ensure adequate mobility during construction.
Notably, between Villingen and Donaueschingen, construction work will close both the Gäubahn and the Black Forest Railway simultaneously from September 5 to October 31. This closure will affect direct connections between Offenburg and Konstanz, as well as connections to Karlsruhe and Stuttgart.
The railway defends the number of construction sites in Baden-Württemberg, citing an old, failing, and overloaded infrastructure as the reason. Investments in the renewal of railway infrastructure are welcomed statewide, but it is also crucial to be able to travel reliably from A to B.
In a bid to address these concerns, Deutsche Bahn has agreed with the state in a declaration of intent to make construction measures more customer-friendly, including announcing closures earlier and optimizing construction management.
However, Christiane Conzen emphasizes that there is no example of successful direct cooperation between the railway and municipalities. The search for solutions to improve communication between the railway company and municipalities in Baden-Württemberg continues.
For media inquiries related to public transport communication in Baden-Württemberg, Benjamin Hechler (Head of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Transport Baden-Württemberg) and Elke Schmidt (Communications Officer at Baden-Württemberg-Tarif GmbH) are identified as relevant contacts.
Lastly, it's important to note that the storm damage in Radolfzell necessitated short-term construction measures that could not be avoided, further adding to the disruptions. The DB disruption map in Baden-Württemberg shows numerous railway lines restricted or closed due to construction work.
As the construction work continues, the Association of Towns and Municipalities, the Ministry of Transport, and Deutsche Bahn are working together to find solutions to ensure minimal disruptions for commuters and retail businesses in Baden-Württemberg.
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