The Swiss rail network is set to expand until 2035
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Listening: Doubts raised over Swiss rail expansion plans
Objections are being raised over Switzerland’s CHF22.3 billion ($25.7 billion) railway expansion programme, which some critics say is a poorly planned and an inefficient use of state funds.
Even Swiss Federal Railways, the state-owned operator of the rail system, has suggested that some funds could be put to better use maintaining the existing network.
An initial CHF15.4 billion project to revamp the rail network by 2035 has been given extra billions by parliament in recent months.
The programme includes new tunnel beneath Lake Geneva, enlarging the Geneva junction, expanding a line in the canton Bern, a new route in canton Neuchâtel and scaling up the Lötschberg base tunnel.
The scale and strategy of the expansion programme has already been criticised by former Swiss Railways boss Benedikt Weibel. In the summer, Weibel said some projects would bring little benefit to passengers, whilst driving up maintenance costs to unsustainable levels.
In an interview with the SonntagsZeitung newspaper on Sunday, current Swiss Railways Head of Timetable, Daria Martinoni, also expressed some doubts.
“Expansion costs entail enormous follow-up costs in terms of maintenance and operation, as well as in terms of services,” she said. “We would like less talk about infrastructure expansion and more about the benefits of the service. Priority must be given to providing sufficient funds to maintain the infrastructure.”
“Every infrastructure expansion should be based on a service concept that shows how it will benefit customers,” she added.
Last year, federal auditors sounded the warning about an increasing rail infrastructure maintenance backlog, which had grown to CHF6.5 billion at the time.
A transport ministry spokesperson told the newspaper: “In principle, the follow-up costs of the expansion decisions made by parliament to date are affordable.”
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