BDI: Targets for rail freight transport "illusory"

Railroad - BDI: Targets for rail freight transport "illusory"

The government's target for more freight transport by rail is unrealistic from an industry perspective. The alliance between the SPD, Greens and FDP is aiming for a quarter of freight transport to be handled by rail by 2030. "I think that's illusory," Siegfried Russwurm, President of the Federation of German Industries, told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers. "This would require a third more goods to be transported by rail. And a third of a transport volume that will continue to grow."

According to data from the Federal Network Agency, 19.8 percent of freight traffic was carried by train last year. Russwurm called for more speed in the expansion of the railroads. "Rail infrastructure is growing in Europe, but we in Germany are massively putting on the brakes," he said.

BDI: Decades pass from the idea to implementation

There is too little capacity and approvals take too long. "When we talk about additional lines or tracks on existing lines, it takes decades from the initial idea to the first train." The upcoming general refurbishment of the most important rail corridors must be tackled effectively and efficiently.

Russwurm reiterated the industry's criticism of delays on the rail freight network. Companies do plan with a certain lead time and buffers. "But of course a leading economic nation like Germany cannot expect unpunctuality to become the norm."

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1. Despite the government's ambition to increase rail freight transport, Siegfried Russwurm, president of the Funke Media Group, expressed skepticism about the SPD, Greens, and FDP's goal of having 25% of all goods transported by rail by 2030.
2. According to Russwurm, achieving this target would require a significant increase in rail transport, which may not be feasible given the current growth trends and infrastructure limitations.
3. The BDI, or Federation of German Industries, also voiced concerns about the slow pace of railway expansion in Germany, noting that it can take decades to move from the initial concept to actual implementation of additional rail lines or track expansions.
4. Russwurm, representing Germany's industry, criticized the delays on the rail freight network, pointing out that companies require lead time and buffers to operate effectively, and a leading economy like Germany cannot tolerate chronic punctuality issues.
5. In Berlin, the German economic powerhouse, ongoing discussions between the German Railways (DB), freight forwarders such as the Funke Media Group, and political parties like the SPD are crucial in shaping Germany's rail freight transport policies and addressing the challenges facing the industry.

Source: www.stern.de