Malte Lawrenz on the new coalition agreement

When it comes to the rail sector, the new coalition is on the right track

With their recognition of the principle of “rail before road” with respect to transportation investments, the three-party coalition laid the foundation for a climate-friendly mobility sector of the future. It is an important signal for rail freight traffic that the coalition members have established the goal of a market share for railway traffic of 25 percent by the year 2030. To bring about the corresponding growth, the government must transition rapidly into implementation mode. It is therefore welcome to see that the coalition parties name important projects that they wish to advance: the expansion of infrastructure, implementation of the Rail Master Plan, electrification of 75 percent of the rail network and digitalisation of the rail system. This means that the central positions of the railway associations are reflected in the coalition agreement. From our perspective, it is particularly gratifying that the introduction of the key technology for efficient railway traffic, digital automatic coupling, found a place in the agreement. The three-party coalition has taken an ambitious stance with their formulation of the agenda as a “new beginning in mobility policy”. This calls for active engagement – and the corresponding budgetary resources. It is therefore only logical that the coalition parties have committed not only to expanding the truck toll but also to using the future revenues according to the principle of “transportation finances transportation” in order to fund the mobility sector.