The transfer of freight traffic to rail is one of the declared goals of the state government. However, one assumes completely wrong framework conditions, criticizes the industrial association.
Vorarlberg is basically on the right path towards energy autonomy, but in the area of mobility it is still far behind the goals that have been set. This is not least due to the fact that goods traffic in the truest sense of the word “does not come by rail”. Only recently did the state work together with “ÖBB Infrastructure AG” to determine the future need for the rail infrastructure in Vorarlberg and use this data to create a freight transport concept. So far, so welcome. Stupid, however, if the finding has very little to do with reality. Christian Zoll, Managing Director of the Vorarlberg Federation of Industry (IVV), criticizes that the analysis is based exclusively on figures from the past: “As a result, both the state and ÖBB massively underestimate the need.” For its part, the IVV commissioned a study – and the results read quite differently: According to this, the demand forecast by the state for the year 2040 has already been reached today. Ralf Chaumet, author of the IVV report, shows the discrepancy between assumption and reality using a specific example: “In the state study, a total of six freight trains per day were assumed for 2019 on the Wolfurt-Lauterach South route. The reality, however, is that 27 freight trains per day are already using this route.” Furthermore, the state and ÖBB did not take into account the morning peak times in passenger transport, and the future needs of the companies were only insufficiently recorded. So the bottom line is a calculation that can never, ever work out. Should mean: A transfer of freight traffic to the rails with a simultaneous expansion of passenger traffic will not happen without a massive expansion of the railway infrastructure. A fourth track in the Rhine Valley with the involvement of companies. In any case, there is no way around expanding the track: “We already know that we need the continuous three-track system from Bregenz to Feldkirch as quickly as possible for high-quality freight transport. Some expansions must therefore be brought forward in a step-by-step plan in order to ensure functioning freight traffic. In the medium term, a fourth track must also follow in the Rhine Valley.” If it goes to Rhomberg, then the state government should also lobby the federal government to question the preference for passenger transport: “Currently, a freight train has to stop if a passenger train is delayed. One of the consequences of this is that a passenger train to Vienna takes less than seven hours, while a freight train takes more than two days!” Incidentally, a truck can cover the distance in less than eight hours…
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