German rail infrastucture is a problem for Europe, freight associations say

GERMANY: European and national rail freight associations have signed a joint letter to Germany’s new federal transport minister saying operations are becoming increasingly complex, costly and uncertain, with DB InfraGO failing to provide the infrastructure quality and customer-oriented information that they say is standard in many European countries.

The letter dated May 13 calls on Patrick Schnieder to ‘act with high priority on the condition and management of Germany’s rail network’. It explains that Germany is ‘the crucial centrepiece of European logistics’ and the performance of its railway infrastructure is critical to military mobility, industrial productivity and the economic viability of climate-friendly transport.

While the associations ‘strongly support’ infrastructure investment, they say viable diversionary routes must be provided during prolonged closures of main corridors for engineering works. The diversions as currently proposed are excessively long, lack sufficient capacity and could themselves be affected by disruptions, while communication is delayed and inconsistent. They believe the approach to undertaking works should be changed if viable diversions cannot be guaranteed, as the current situation risks driving freight back to the roads, increasing congestion and undermining climate goals.