Tyrol calls for expedited access at Brenner and increased vehicle taxes.

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The Austrian region of Tirol urges for a higher truck toll in Bavaria and a quicker plan for the railway connection to the Brenner Base Tunnel in the Inn Valley. "As we work on one of the most significant European infrastructure projects, Germany should fulfill its commitment and spearhead the rail advancement," stated Transport Minister René Zumtobel. "Tirol has gained invaluable experience while constructing the Unterinntal motorway, which we're more than willing to share."

For years, the population of Tirol has endured transit traffic. In 2023, 14.4 million automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles traveled through the Schönberg toll station on the Brenner Autobahn. Of these vehicles, 2.4 million were trucks, twice the amount reported at the end of the 1990s. The 55-kilometer Brenner Base Tunnel anticipates an opening in 2032, providing much-needed relief. However, to take full advantage of its capacity, the access roads must also be expanded. Italy and Austria have both completed their planning, with sections already operational in Italy and construction recently underway.

In contrast, Germany is still in the process of deciding the route, with a potential Bundestag decision in 2025. Former Federal Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) promised protesting citizens in the Bavarian Inn Valley a fresh assessment in 2017. However, the CSU/Free Voters coalition in Munich had previously questioned the necessity of the route in 2018, a stance that both parties have since abandoned.

"The benefits of this expansion are already evident on the 40-kilometer completed section: increased speeds, increased capacity for both passenger and freight traffic, and considerable noise reduction for the local population," explained Zumtobel. "I pray that these advantages will also be acknowledged in neighboring Bavaria and that a political commitment for the access roads in the German Bundestag will finally be made following the route recommendation."

While Zumtobel advocated for a higher truck toll on the Bavarian Inn Valley Autobahn to alleviate traffic on the Brenner, he adds, "Many trucks that utilize the Brenner taken alternative paths or detours." The main cause of this roundabout traffic is the low truck toll between Munich and Verona.

"The truck toll on the Brenner corridor is almost three times cheaper than in Switzerland. Our average toll on the approximately 110-kilometer Austrian section is already approaching Swiss levels, while the toll on the German/Italian segment - which is three times longer - falls well below the Swiss rate," argued Zumtobel, a Social Democrat from Austria. "A corridor toll can only succeed through a joint effort of the three affected countries. Toll fees should be raised to a comparable tariff like in Switzerland, so that detour traffic over the Brenner no longer pays off, rail served as a viable transport option, and relocation for freight companies becomes appealing."

Read also:

1. The Inn Valley, a significant region in Austria, is home to the Tirol region, which has called for expedited access at Brenner and increased truck tolls in neighboring Bavaria.
2. The Tirol region in Austria, with experiences from constructing the Unterinntal motorway, advocates for Germany to fulfill its commitment and spearhead the rail advancement in the Inn Valley.
3. In 2023, 14.4 million vehicles, including trucks, traveled through the Schönenberg toll station in the Brenner Autobahn, with a significant increase in truck traffic since the 1990s.
4. Austria and Italy have made strides in expanding access roads for the 55-kilometer Brenner Base Tunnel, which is set to open in 2032, with Germany still in the process of deciding the route for its expansion.
5. The Social Democrat Minister Rene Zumtobel from Austria argues for a higher truck toll on the Bavarian Inn Valley Autobahn to alleviate traffic on the Brenner, citing the detour traffic due to low truck tolls between Munich and Verona.
6. The opening of the 55-kilometer Brenner Base Tunnel in 2032 promises relief from transit traffic but requires corresponding expansion of access roads to fully utilize its capacity.
7. Opposition to the route expansion in Bavaria from the CSU/Free Voters coalition in Munich in 2018 has since been abandoned, paving the way for a potential Bundestag decision in 2025.
8. According to Zumtobel, a move towards comparable truck tolls like in Switzerland could deter detour traffic over the Brenner, making rail a viable transport option and relocation for freight companies appealing.
9. The Austrian region of Tirol, with its urban centers like Innsbruck and Schönberg, looks forward to the completion of the Brenner Base Tunnel, bringing relief to the citizens who have long endured freight traffic and enhancing Europe's freight and passenger traffic.

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