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End of the Abellio railway company? Land wants to provide help

2021-11-18T13:16:05.012Z


For months, the ailing railway company Abellio and North Rhine-Westphalia transport associations struggled for new contracts. But now, in all likelihood, things will turn out differently. The alternative route will be expensive. Now the state government speaks up.


For months, the ailing railway company Abellio and North Rhine-Westphalia transport associations struggled for new contracts.

But now, in all likelihood, things will turn out differently.

The alternative route will be expensive.

Now the state government speaks up.

Düsseldorf - In the crisis of the regional railway company Abellio, the state government wants to provide a lot of money so that local transport can be maintained even after the company may exit the market.

In the coming years, financial losses of a maximum of 380 million euros will be compensated, according to a letter from the state transport ministry to the head of the Rhine-Ruhr transport association (VRR).

The letter from Thursday is available to dpa.

The money is to come from regionalization funds from the federal government.

It should cover the additional costs that will arise as a result of emergency awards - if other companies take over the Abellio lines in February and are then paid significantly better.

According to reports, these are probably DB Regio, National Express and another company.

Abellio is going through some form of bankruptcy, the company has been making losses for a long time. This is also due to higher personnel costs and subsequent construction site costs, which, according to Abellio, were not foreseeable when the long-term contracts were signed.

The company's bridging contracts expire at the end of January.

Until recently, Abellio Rail GmbH with its 1080 employees had hoped that the transport authorities would agree to new, better-paid contracts and that the company could continue.

On Wednesday, however, the board of the VRR recommended not to continue to rely on the subsidiary of the Dutch State Railways, but on the emergency awards.

The control committee should decide on Monday.

With the financial assurance from the state, it could now become more likely that the administrative board will follow the recommendation of the board and Abellio will cease operations at the end of January.

also read

Abellio wants to give up NRW routes: Consultations on Friday

The ailing private railway company Abellio wants to give up loss-making routes in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Financing for the continued operation of the important commuter connections was only secured until the end of January.

Now the company has submitted an offer.

Abellio wants to give up NRW routes: Consultations on Friday

Minister informs: Negotiations with the railway company Abellio

If you take the regional train or the S-Bahn, you could be dependent on Abellio's transport services.

Will it stay that way in the future?

The railway company with Dutch roots is ailing - it is hoping for help, which will ultimately come from the state.

Minister informs: Negotiations with the railway company Abellio

New offer from Abellio: There is still a threat of market exit

Abellio Rail is not doing well - it could be history in February.

21 million train kilometers per year would then have to be driven by other companies, a sixth of NRW's local traffic.

A dramatic negotiation marathon is now about to come to an end.

New offer from Abellio: There is still a threat of market exit

In the decision of the board of directors against Abellio, the fact that representatives of the public transport authorities and the state feared a precedent also played a role: If Abellio received more money than the company is contractually entitled to, it could set an example and other companies in the industry could insist on more money despite ongoing contracts .

In addition, there is the fact that additional financial payments for Abellio are limited due to EU competition law.

Abellio Rail GmbH currently has a market share of 18 percent in local rail passenger transport in North Rhine-Westphalia - i.e. around every sixth train kilometer in regional transport is handled by Abellio trains and S-Bahn trains.

Abellio, for example, operates the RE1 from Aachen via Cologne to Hamm and the RE11 from Düsseldorf to Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe.

The S2 from Dortmund to Essen and the S9 from Hagen to Recklinghausen are also from Abellio.

It is considered likely that the transition from Abellio to the successor line operators will lead to problems in late January and early February.

dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-11-18

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