The Federal Ministry of Transport rejects the accusation from Munich’s mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) that there has “never been such a bad relationship” between him and the ministry. The ministry said the accusation was “incomprehensible” when asked. The Ministry of Transport regularly speaks with the federal states about expanding local transport. As soon as there is a new planning status or a need for coordination, “the steps necessary for funding will be initiated at the request of the responsible state authority.”
Reiter had in an interview with the Munich Mercury said that the federal government “in any case no longer needs to use the word transport transition if the construction of subways and trams is not adequately supported.” In a draft by the Federal Ministry of Transport for funding measures, numerous expansion projects for the subway and trams in Munich are only listed in category C; including the extension of the U5 from Laim to Pasing. Construction is already underway here. C means: “Project registered, no funding commitment.”
The ministry explained that there was no funding application for the planned U9 across the city center. The initiative for this would have to come from the Free State of Bavaria in coordination with the city of Munich. “As long as there is no application, there is no basis for discussion.” The federal government is doubling the funding for the modernization of trams and subways and the construction of new lines to two billion euros in 2025. That’s enough money to support local transport. The ministry explained that no more funds were necessary. The city of Munich doubts this.
The response from the Federal Ministry of Transport to the SZ request on Tuesday morning with the request for information by Wednesday lunchtime was only received on Thursday evening; after the Friday edition went to press. In this edition, a report on impending bottlenecks in the financing of local transport in Munich stated that the ministry had not responded to an SZ request. This reaction is now present.