The Greens in the state parliament are again calling for closed railway lines in Bavaria to be reactivated for passenger transport. To this end, current hurdles – for example with regard to the necessary number of passengers – are to be lowered or changed, and reactivation processes that are already running are to be accelerated. “Just like with the expansion of renewable energies, the Söder government is also in preventive mode here,” says parliamentary group leader Ludwig Hartmann. “Because the hurdles for route reactivations are almost insurmountable.” At least 1,000 passengers per kilometer would have to be forecast every day. Numerous railway lines in the Free State failed “because of this CSU prevention criterion,” Hartmann criticized. Therefore, other criteria will be needed in the future.
Bavaria’s Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) defended the criterion. This makes sense, “because from then on, a train route makes ecological and economic sense”. The Free State is generally positive about the reactivation of closed railway lines “if the relevant criteria are right.” It does not help the environment and rural areas if you let empty trains run through the area. The Greens emphasized that the goal is an attractive offer every hour with modern vehicles. Because the train is the backbone of public transport and an important key to the climate goals. For the 2022 budget year, the Free State is providing 35 million euros for the reactivation of important branch lines, and this amount is to be increased to 55 million euros annually in the future. But that’s still not enough, criticized the Greens.