Citizens' initiatives with proposal for Inntal railroad extension
In the dispute over the construction of a new railroad line through the Inn Valley to the Brenner Pass, citizens' initiatives want to submit their own proposals to the Federal Railway Authority this week. They continue to advocate the expansion of the existing route instead of a new construction, as an association of the initiatives announced on Tuesday in Rosenheim together with the Bund Naturschutz. According to the opponents of the new line, the proposals are to be submitted to the Bundestag after being examined by the Federal Railway Authority. The opponents are also preparing legal action "to prevent this superfluous billion-euro project".
The new line to the Brenner Base Tunnel, which is currently under construction, could go into operation in 2040 as things stand. The alternative variant, on the other hand, could already be in operation when the tunnel is expected to open in 2032, the citizens' initiatives argue. The goal of "more freight on the rails" could therefore be achieved ten years earlier. The damage to nature, the environment, agriculture and tourism as well as the CO2 pollution during the construction and operating phases would be significantly lower. The alternative would also cost only a quarter of the rail option, which according to the opponents is currently estimated at ten billion euros.
In addition to optimizing the existing route, opponents are calling for a bypass around Rosenheim for freight trains and the long-announced expansion of the route from Munich via Mühldorf to Salzburg.
The so-called Brenner northern approach stretches around 60 kilometers from Grafing to Kiefersfelden. The mayors of several affected municipalities have also spoken out against the new line. The railroad has largely finalized its plans for the route. The Bundestag is due to decide on the project in 2025.
"New rail capacity alone will not curb the increase in truck transit traffic," warns Lothar Thaler, Chairman of the Brenner Dialogue Initiative. Rather, measures are needed to avoid and shift traffic, such as a higher truck toll, especially in Germany and Italy, an Alpine transit exchange to cap journeys and the enforcement of fair truck traffic without dumping wages and illegalities.
The construction of new railroad tracks through the Inn Valley, as proposed by the railroad, has sparked traffic concerns among citizens' initiatives. They believe that increasing traffic due to this project can be significantly reduced by constructing a bypass around Rosenheim for freight trains and optimizing the existing railroad route.
Despite the ongoing construction of the new railroad line to the Brenner Base Tunnel, the advocates of an alternative route argue that less traffic, lower damage to the environment, and reduced CO2 emissions can be achieved by completing the expansion of the existing railroad route through Munich, Mühldorf, and Salzburg before 2032.
Source: www.dpa.com
