In view of poor punctuality figures, Deutsche Bahn (DB) is changing its strategy and is prepared to postpone planned construction sites for the renovation of the rail network. Daniela Gerd tom Markotten, the board member responsible for digitalization and technology, told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” on Friday that postponing construction sites to the next few years “must no longer be a taboo”. Until now, the railroad had given priority to renovation.
“We are running at a level of punctuality that is no longer accepted by society,” Gerd tom Markotten told the newspaper. In May, Deutsche Bahn only achieved a punctuality rate of 62 percent for long-distance services, which was well below the target of at least 65 percent that the company had set itself for this year.
The manager clarified that Deutsche Bahn will stick to its plan to completely renovate around 40 high-performance corridors over the next few years. "But it is of course a feat of strength, because we are confronted with the fact that the infrastructure is producing more disruptions than we previously assumed. This means we now have to take countermeasures and strike a good balance between renovation and punctuality."
In a report obtained by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), the Federal Audit Office (BA) demanded that Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) critically examine the railway's restructuring program – the S3 line. "In our view, DB AG's concept is currently not viable" because important budgetary foundations are missing, the newspaper quoted from a letter to the Bundestag's Budget Committee. Among other things, the cost-benefit analysis for the general renovation of the Riedbahn railway exhibited "significant methodological deficiencies."
The line between Frankfurt and Mannheim was completely renovated last year. The costs were higher than planned.
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