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Tiefensee: Breakthrough for the new Stuttgart-Ulm-Augsburg high-speed line and Stuttgart 21
Federal Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee, Minister-President Günther Oettinger and Deutsche Bahn CEO Hartmut Mehdorn reached a breakthrough today in the negotiations concerning the new Stuttgart-Ulm high-speed line and the Stuttgart 21 project. A Memorandum of Understanding for the both projects was signed today in Berlin. Representatives from Stuttgart and the local region were also involved in the discussions.
According to Federal Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee,
"We are very pleased to have come to a political agreement that will launch another important German transport project. I began the parliamentary term by announcing my desire for swift decisions on major transport projects. In many cases, decisions have already been delayed for years. Now we have finally made progress on the much-debated Fehmarn Belt link. We will also come to a prompt decision on the Transrapid. A political settlement on another extremely important transport project has also been reached with the new Stuttgart-Ulm high-speed line and the Stuttgart 21 project. The federal government has always been in favour of implementing this project as soon as a correct framework was in place. This required some tough negotiations. The government is now satisfied that the conditions have been met and we have given the project the go-ahead. The new high-speed line is part of the main European trunk route and thus also forms part of the priority trans-European project no. 17. Strengthening this transport artery will bring Europe even closer together. The new high-speed route between Wendlingen and Ulm will also shorten the travel time between Paris and Munich and enhance the competitiveness of railways in general".
The Stuttgart 21 project aimed at reorganising the Stuttgart railway junction represents the fulfilment of another urban planning project. This will lead to a major rearrangement of Stuttgart 's city centre.
The Stuttgart railway junction will be completely remodelled. The present terminus station will be replaced by a low-lying through station. The existing holding sidings will be relocated. A connection to the existing railway lines will be built and the new Wendlingen-Ulm high-speed route will be integrated into the future Stuttgart railway junction. There will also be a new high-quality connection to Stuttgart Airport . This will provide a link to the new Wendlingen-Ulm high-speed line along with a station in the airport terminal with its own entrance and the required transport systems for passengers and baggage along with all the necessary infrastructure for rail passengers within the airport's junction building. This major urban planning project is to be implemented in unison with the construction of the new Wendlingen-Ulm high-speed line. This is the result of today's agreements.
"Germany needs a modern, efficient railway infrastructure. Today's joint decision by the federal government, the state, the city and the railways also makes it clear that great things are happening in Germany with major projects being given the go-ahead", Tiefensee concluded.
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