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ICE at Frankfurt Central Station
Photo: Arnulf Hettrich / imago images
So far, Deutsche Bahn has been responsible for the construction and maintenance of the rail network with its subsidiary DB Netz.
But the criticism of this structure is great.
The railways disadvantaged private providers of freight and passenger transport, the organization was cumbersome, and construction projects such as Stuttgart 21 were delayed.
That is why there is a loud call to found a federal infrastructure company that operates independently of Deutsche Bahn.
But the SPD parliamentary group vice Sören Bartol defends himself against these considerations, which would lead to a break-up of the Deutsche Bahn.
"To gloss over a break-up as a new beginning is simply wrong and unfair," the economic politician told SPIEGEL.
Bartol is responding to a broad alliance of private rail operators, the rail union GDL, the construction industry and the Federal Association of Consumer Centers, which this week called for a far-reaching rail reform.
The aim is "the establishment and supervision of an independent federal rail infrastructure company".
In this way, "infrastructure management should be geared towards the common good as well as the nationwide network needs," according to the association's letter.
The Greens want busting after the election
In doing so, it supports the ideas of the Greens parliamentary group.
This calls for a federal infrastructure company for the rail network.
The Greens hope that this will result in more investments in the rail network and additional competition.
Bartol is also committed to reforms at Deutsche Bahn.
However, he rejects a separation.
This would "paralyze the expansion of the railways with restructuring for years and cause considerable uncertainty among employees in the group."
The social democrat fears that in a black-green coalition the CDU would give the coalition partner a free hand to break it up.