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Munich Central Station
Photo: Matthias Balk / dpa
Roland Busch, head of the Siemens group, criticizes the plans of the possible traffic light coalition for a split of the Deutsche Bahn.
"I don't think that's a good idea," said Busch at the Siemens annual press conference in Munich.
Siemens supplies trains such as the ICE, signaling technology and electrification for the railways, but also serves competitors of the state-owned company.
SPIEGEL had reported that the FDP and the Greens had introduced two models for reorganizing the railway into the coalition negotiations: One provides for a legal, personnel and budgetary separation of network and operations under the umbrella of a holding company. In the second scenario, the infrastructure would be split off into a public society oriented towards the common good, and long-distance, regional and freight traffic would be privatized. The coalitionists want to get more competition and traffic on the rails in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
He doesn't understand why you have to "break something that is already working today," said Busch. Long-distance transport, in which the railway has almost a monopoly, only accounts for around five billion euros in sales, while competition is already functioning in regional transport, argued Busch. A violent dispute has already sparked over the traffic light plans, so the rail union EVG has called for demonstrations. The SPD, too, is at least against a real break-up.
The Monopolies Commission, on the other hand, considers a separation of network and operation to be necessary in order to strengthen competition.
In view of the foreseeable political conflicts, Siemens boss Busch fears that a rail reform could drag on over several years and paralyze the railways.
It makes more sense to "concentrate on other issues and accelerate investment projects."
He advocates an expansion of the infrastructure and digitization of the railways so that "20 percent more can be extracted" from the railways.
If there is more traffic on the tracks, Siemens will definitely benefit.
mhs