A trade union has expressed sharp criticism over the delay in the general overhaul of Deutsche Bahn’s rail network, stating that pushing back construction timelines also delays solutions. The Eisenbahn- und Verkehrsgewerkschaft (EVG) has taken issue with comments made by Deutsche Bahn’s board member for digitalization and technology, Daniela Gerd tom Markotten, who suggested that delaying construction projects might not be a taboo in the coming years, given the poor punctuality rates.
In a letter to the head of Deutsche Bahn’s infrastructure division, Berthold Huber, the EVG’s deputy chairman, Kristian Loroch, expressed growing irritation at the comments, saying they raised fundamental questions about responsibility, communication and accountability in a critical area for the operation and safety of the infrastructure.
Loroch criticized tom Markotten for publicly commenting on construction projects and their potential delay, as this could give the impression that the focus is on cosmetic improvements rather than a solid, coordinated and technically sound development of the infrastructure. He also accused her of lacking foresight, as the consequences of such delays could be severe for employees, financing, passengers and ultimately the safety of the railway operation.
In contrast, Thomas Brandt, the chairman of the Infrago works council and a member of the Deutsche Bahn’s supervisory board, suggested that the question is how much strain can be put on people and the construction industry and that limiting the number of general overhauls to four or five per year could be a sensible approach.
A Deutsche Bahn spokesperson denied the claim of a rift within the company’s leadership, stating that the decision on when, where and how much to build is made by Infrago and that there is no disagreement among the board members.