Karl-Peter Naumann, honorary chairman of the passenger association Pro Bahn, welcomed the plans proposed by Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger (CDU) to link the bonus payments of railway managers more directly to specific operational goals. However, he stressed that while political pressure on the large railway corporation is necessary, the federal government must also fulfill its own responsibilities.
Speaking to the Funke Media Group newspapers, Naumann agreed that it is fundamentally correct for the owner to issue clear instructions that are also monitored, pointing out that this accountability has been lacking historically. He further stated that the federal government must supply the railways with adequate financial resources while simultaneously supervising how those funds are used. This oversight, he added, has also been absent in the past.
He insisted that the Transport Minister must not only secure proper funding but must also advocate for fair competitive conditions between rail and road transport. Naumann pointed out that railways are legally disadvantaged in many ways compared to roads, citing examples such as differing regulations regarding the distance of trees from highways versus railway lines, and inconsistencies in the financing of infrastructure planning.
Furthermore, he demanded that the government examine internal railway structures that impede punctuality. In his view, leaner structures resulted in better performance at non-federally owned railways. The role of the Federal Railway Office must also come under scrutiny. In sum, Naumann concluded: “Political pressure on the company is necessary, but the politics must also perform its duties.”
