The Free State is currently planning to expand the S 4 to three tracks to Eichenau and to plan a fourth track.
Somewhat surprisingly, the federal government has now upgraded the importance of the four-track expansion.
Many consider this to be a positive signal.
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The four-track expansion between Pasing and Eichenau was included in the federal transport route plan as part of the Germany cycle. The projects examined were rated extremely positively overall with a benefit-cost ratio of 1.4. "This means that the delay discussion with only three tracks can finally go back to the moth box", says Andreas Barth, spokesman for the nationwide passenger association Pro Bahn. "The lack of justification for four tracks criticized by parts of the politicians is now clearly given with the inclusion in the urgent needs of the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan."
As part of the Deutschlandtakt, 181 rail projects were jointly assessed economically on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Transport.
The benefit-cost factor achieved of 1.4 means that every euro invested generates 1.40 euros in economic benefits.
The S 4 line is next to the S 1 the most heavily used route in the S-Bahn network without its own tracks, explains Barth.
The CSU member of the state parliament for the Fürstenfeldbruck-Ost constituency, Benjamin Miskowitsch, also welcomes the news.
"The inclusion of the four-track expansion of the S 4 West Pasing-Eichenau in the urgent need is a first important step and a good signal for the region." However, some questions are open.
The CSU member of the Bundestag for the constituency of Fürstenfeldbruck-Dachau, Katrin Staffler, also welcomes the inclusion of the expansion in the urgent need. “That could be the breakthrough that we have worked for so long at all levels.” The current calculations underpinned the need for a four-track upgrade.
The Bavarian Ministry of Transport has reacted in a similarly positive manner. Now it is important to clarify in joint discussions with the federal government how the further planning and implementation of the expansion from Pasing to Eichenau can take place. In addition to financing issues, macroeconomic and licensing aspects should also be examined. Bavaria's Transport Minister Kerstin Schreyer: “In the forecast up to 2030, it was still assumed that the figures for a fourth track would not be enough. When I became Minister of Transport and dealt with the project, it quickly became clear to me that we had to keep the option for a fourth platform open. "
That is why she advocated a three-track expansion with upward compatibility to a later four-track expansion.
"At the time of the feasibility study initiated by the Free State, it was not yet foreseeable that the expansion would be included in the priority needs."
In the background, the plans for the expansion are currently underway, which has been discussed for many years and highlighted in various ways.
However, it will be some time before the construction of one or two new tracks can begin: Rail construction projects generally need around a decade in advance.
Overall, the route is gaining in importance, as it has been electrified from Geltendorf to Switzerland and therefore more traffic is to be expected.
One of the problems of the S 4 is the so-called mixed traffic between the S-Bahn and regional trains.
comment
The fact that there is talk of a four-track expansion of the S 4 must of course be rated as positive to positive. The expansion is all the more important as the continuation of the line to Lindau is now electrified and more traffic is to be expected. However, it is also important to classify the message correctly. In the middle of the election campaign, the federal government has not only promoted the S 4 to urgent needs, but also 180 other rail projects throughout Germany. When everything becomes more important, in the end everything is equally relevant and therefore just as unimportant as it was before. Therefore, it is up to those responsible in the Free State to emphasize the importance of the western branch of the S 4. The new cost-benefit calculation provides a good argument - and so does the pure logic: Because of course it is betterto build two more tracks than initially only a third with upward compatibility. The term is really nice. So far, the topic S 4 as a whole was more of a downward compatibility. (st)