The Greens are skeptical of the new corridor renovation concept put forward by Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger (CDU) and Deutsche Bahn. According to Green railway expert Matthias Gastel, speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, the plan seems primarily designed to alleviate the federal budget rather than improve the rail system. He warned that trains running on infrastructure that still requires modernization will not become more punctual.
Gastel stated that the main reason for delaying necessary maintenance is that “the coalition wishes to invest less in the railway than is urgently required.” The Green politician further noted that postponing major overhauls frequently means that unavoidable construction measures must be undertaken beforehand, which, in turn, necessitates more and overall longer construction-related closures.
Moreover, Gastel emphasized that the plan does not include measures such as additional switch points or passing loops, which would be necessary to improve the reliability and punctuality of rail traffic.
