Upper Austria experiences "political unity" against train cancellations

On their initiative, a joint urgent motion to preserve the regional railways was submitted with the ÖVP, SPÖ, Greens, NEOS, and MFG for the meeting on June 5 at the Linz Landhaus.

"Indispensable Lifelines for Rural Areas"

In the resolution to the federal government, the state parliament unanimously demands "compliance with the existing funding commitments by the federal government" and the factions express themselves "unequivocally against a reduction of the railway lines - and instead for their preservation and further development," it was stated in a press release. Regional railways should not be "bargaining chips" as they represent "indispensable lifelines for rural areas," according to the argument. The ÖVP and FPÖ have also jointly requested a current hour on this topic for the meeting on June 5.

Almtal and Hausruck Railway: Conversion to Buses?

The background to a possible discontinuation of the railways is the federal government's budget consolidation, to which ÖBB must also contribute. Around 10 percent of the expenditures in the new ÖBB framework plan until 2030 have fallen victim to the current austerity measures. Instead of the originally planned 21.9 billion euros, only 19.7 billion euros are available for nationwide railway expansion from 2025 to 2030. This means: Some projects will be postponed, others questioned. In Upper Austria, this affects the northern part of the Mühlkreis railway, the Almtal, and the Hausruck railway due to low utilization. However, it is not about a complete elimination of public transport services, but rather a shift to buses, whose operation would then fall to the state or the Upper Austrian Transport Association and no longer to ÖBB.

(APA/Red)

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