The additional funds are possible because so-called unused budget allocations were not spent. Transport Minister Steffen Bilger (CDU) and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) agreed on this. The goal is to secure the transport of individual wagons across the country and shift more industrial goods from road to rail.
Single wagonload traffic accounts for 18 percent of rail freight. In this system, individual wagons are picked up from industrial customers, assembled into long trains at marshalling yards, and separated again at their destination. Bilger stressed that single wagonload traffic is indispensable for many companies, as it enables freight transport even for smaller quantities and connects companies nationwide to the rail network. It plays a particularly important role in the steel, chemical, and automotive industries.
Dirk Flege, managing director of the Allianz pro Schiene, called the decision an important signal to freight railways and the loading industry. At the same time, he called on the Bundestag to reverse the planned funding cuts of 26 million euros for 2027 and to increase the amount to a similar level.
Source: www.zeit.de
