The Federal Court of Auditors has accused the federal government and Deutsche Bahn of neglecting infrastructure such as bridges, rails, signal boxes and overhead lines. "For years she was driven to wear," criticized the president of the auditors, Kay Scheller. "And the investment backlog is growing and growing."
In a 20-page special report, the Court of Auditors denounces the process by which the federal government makes available several billion euros a year for replacement investments in rail infrastructure. It is "intransparent, not meaningful and sets inappropriate incentives," said authorities President Scheller. There are "serious shortcomings" in the financing system. "There is a risk that the condition of rail infrastructure will continue to deteriorate - despite rising federal funds.
Court of Auditors: Minister Scheuer acts ambitionless
The federal government gives the railway every year billions for the construction of new rails, bridges, signal boxes, overhead lines or bridges. But the Ministry of Transport did not know exactly how Deutsche Bahn and its subsidiaries used the billions in subsidies. There was no effective control and clear priorities.
Only at the end of November had the supervisory boards of the state-owned company agreed to higher spending in a two-day retreat. At the same time, however, they urged improvement in clear words. Deficits must be eliminated and opportunities "tackled swiftly and consistently".
The railways is currently negotiating with the Ministry of Transport about how much money the company will receive in the future for replacement investments to maintain the railways. Specifically, it is about a new performance and financing agreement for the period from 2020 to 2024.
The annual subsidies have risen in recent years, for 2019, according to the Court of Auditors just 4.2 billion euros are planned. The railway has already stated that it needs an additional one billion euros per year.
The railway had to guarantee its customers "reliable mobility", Scheller said. In the current financing system, however, there are "key weaknesses". The federal government had to make sure that its billion-dollar subsidies also worked. It is still not too late for fundamental reforms, said Scheller. CSU Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer acts ambitious in the negotiations with the railway, this is risky.