Frankfurt/Main (dpa/lhe) – Delays, overcrowded trains or cancellations – the problems caused by a lack of staff on the railways continue. On the express connection between Bebra, Fulda and Frankfurt, traffic has to be completely suspended until November 20th, according to Deutsche Bahn. The reason is “extraordinarily high sick leave” – including numerous corona cases – among the drivers and signal box staff. The entire state is affected, said Thomas Kraft from the Pro Bahn Hessen passenger association.
Kraft cited the Mittelhessen-Express as another example, and there were also many failures on the Kurhessenbahn in the north. There are routes on which half or even two-thirds of the planned trains would not run. There have been problems for months.
The reason is a failed personnel policy, the beginning of which goes back decades, criticized Kraft. Although the railways are now hiring many employees, the shortage cannot be made up for in a few years – the result is a blatant shortage of staff among train drivers, conductors, dispatchers and also in the workshops. “And then something like Corona comes along and traffic comes to a standstill,” said Kraft.
Planning needs to be approached differently. First you have to look at what the train can actually do and then the timetable has to be made. The basis would be an inventory with information about the actual situation. Then the passenger can also adjust to it. A much higher traffic density is desirable, but what use are new connections if they cannot be driven, asked the passenger representative.
