The German rail infrastructure manager DB InfraGO will not keep promises made earlier regarding construction work on mainline tracks. The IM would not conduct any more work on railways for at least five years following corridor renovations, but it has now announced plans for new closures within that timeframe.
Initially, the deal was that DB would refrain from construction works on tracks for a decade after corridor renovations take place on those lines. That was already scaled back to eight years, and finally to five years. According to German press agency dpa, InfraGO is now planning to build and close tracks within that 5-year timeframe as well.
“The railway industry is tired of the same old salami tactics: promises are made, then watered down bit by bit in the most opaque way possible, while politicians fail to intervene”, commented Peter Westenberger, managing director of private rail freight association Die Güterbahnen. “For almost all full closures, DB has already extended the ‘core closure.’”
Out of control
Now, matters seem to be getting worse. The struggling rail freight sector would benefit from predictability and consistent availability of infrastructure to provide a reliable service to customers. That seems to be getting more difficult with DB InfraGO’s plans.
“During corridor rehabilitation, it was always stated that a five-month closure would be followed by at least five, and initially even up to ten, years without construction”, Westenberger adds. “With an uncontrolled extension of the closure period, DB InfraGO is depriving not only the railway companies but also the stressed entire rail system of its business basis.”
Die Güterbahnen calls upon the German federal government to intervene and to “prevent DB from doing what it wants.”
“Better advance planning and more efficient construction are key. We hope that the Minister of Transport will end the current practice of issuing free passes to DB in his rail strategy, which will be presented on September 22nd”, Westenberger concludes.