Increased punctuality on railways: Wissing emphasizes refurbishment efforts

Vehicle congestion - Increased punctuality on railways: Wissing emphasizes refurbishment efforts

Before starting a massive refurbishment of crucial railway tracks, German Minister of Transport Volker Wissing encouraged railway customers by promising significant enhancements. In an interview with dpa, he stated, "We'll invest billions over the next few years to rejuvenate major lines, eliminating sudden construction zones that result in delays and numerous issues."

The first of these updates will focus on the Riedbahn, connecting Frankfurt and Mannheim, which will shut down two months post-European Football Championship in mid-July until mid-December. Additionally, the goal by 2030 is to renovate a total of 40 congested rail lines in Germany, enabling trains to run consistently once more.

Following refurbishment, it "will practically be devoid of disruptions," according to Wissing. He explained, "For every revamped corridor, I presumptuously assume it'll be nearly disruption-free thereafter." If there's no train disruption, no delays will occur. "Of course, natural factors like extreme weather can cause complications, but they're rare occurrences. The rail network's primary issue is that it's in poor condition, resulting in perpetual infrastructure concerns. Indeed, setting up construction zones on the tracks has enormous ramifications on the complete system."

Closing a corridor for five months is a substantial network invasion, yet it may ensure decades of punctual train operation.

"The stand-in transport will be nearly like a deluxe stand-in transport"

Wissing assessed the Riedbahn and stated, "The stand-in transport will be almost like a lush substitute bus experience" compared to the regular substitute transport. "There'll be buses with top-notch equipment, with toilets, wireless internet, and so on, so that customers can feel contented during these five months and then return when the train is operational again to run punctually." As a business, the railway has an incentive to maintain its customers while the line is closed.

The Riedbahn is the biggest problem in the rail network, which warrants its prompt resolution. "We're going to target it initially," stated Wissing. "It's the busiest pathway in Germany. There's also significant international transit traffic and all the north-south traffic. This line is in severely poor condition." Near-daily disruptions are the norm. "You could say that this main line is only accessible for train traffic to a very restricted extent." After renovation and installing new technology, this line will be restored and ready for use (if no issues arise).

"Naturally, it's the same with everything you renovate, you expect that you won't have to perform major repairs afterwards. That's what leads to an immediate improvement as soon as the track is reopened." The line is scheduled to reopen in time for Christmas traffic and, "we presume that we can have a disruption-free operation there, similar to any new line."

Read also:

1. Volker Wissing, the Federal Minister of Transport, emphasized the importance of refurbishment initiatives to improve rail punctuality, promising significant investments in major lines.
2. As part of these refurbishment efforts, German Railways (DB) aims to revamp 40 congested rail routes within Germany by 2030, ensuring consistent train operations.
3. The Riedbahn, linking Frankfurt and Mannheim, will undergo refurbishment after the European Football Championship in mid-July, closing for two months until mid-December.
4. Wissing assured customers that the refurbished Riedbahn corridor would be nearly disruption-free, with minimal delays due to improved infrastructure.
5. Substitute transport during the Riedbahn renovation will be "almost like a deluxe substitute transport," offering top-notch amenities such as toilets and Wi-Fi, ensuring customer comfort.
6. The Riedbahn, with its high volume of national and international traffic, is a critical component of the rail network that requires immediate attention due to persistent disruptions.
7. Upon completion, the refurbished Riedbahn will return to operation in time for the holiday traffic, aiming for a disruption-free journey identical to a new line.
8. After completion, Volker Wissing expects minimal issues with the refurbished tracks, making immediate improvements after reopening, enhancing overall rail punctuality.
9. Volker Wissing, the German Minister of Transport, acknowledged that the refurbishment of rail routes, such as the Riedbahn, is essential to improving train travel's efficiency and punctuality throughout Germany and Europe.

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