The planned cuts in the federal budget and their impact on the budget of the Federal Ministry of Transport are putting considerable pressure on the expansion of important railroad lines in Germany. The Eastern Freight Corridor North, which runs from Uelzen via Salzwedel and Magdeburg to Halle, is particularly affected by the extensive halt to Deutsche Bahn’s new construction projects. According to the news magazine Der Spiegel and the Reuters news agency, there is a shortfall of almost 800 million euros.
“More freight transport shifted from road to rail – that is and remains good for the climate and for our economy.”
Madeleine Linke
This development poses a particular challenge for Saxony-Anhalt. Madeleine Linke, state chairwoman of Alliance 90/The Greens Saxony-Anhalt, explains: “I am deeply concerned about the impact of these cuts on our region. The complete reconstruction of the railroad line between Uelzen and Stendal as a double-track main line, originally planned for 2028, has still not been realized and is once again in the stars with the current reports.”
The Greens in Saxony-Anhalt are therefore urgently appealing to the federal government and the FDP-led Ministry of Transport to find solutions as quickly as possible to ensure the expansion of the Eastern Freight Corridor North, which has been announced for years.
Linke continued: “More freight traffic shifted from road to rail – that is and remains good for the climate and for our economy. We are therefore campaigning for adequate funding to ensure that this important transport link is not delayed any further. After all, the Eastern Corridor North is essential for smooth freight traffic between Hamburg and the so-called seaport hinterland. It is essential that the planning and construction projects continue in order to maintain the competitiveness of our region and strengthen our connection to the port of Hamburg, which is one of the most important transshipment hubs in Europe.”
Background:
The Eastern Freight Corridor North is essential for smooth freight traffic between Hamburg and the hinterland. This is because the new Eastern Corridor North serves seaport-hinterland traffic. A delay or even a failure of the expansion could have serious consequences for the economic region, particularly with regard to international goods traffic.