Magdeburg (dpa/sa) – After persistent train cancellations and delays in Saxony-Anhalt, several state politicians have expressed clear criticism of Deutsche Bahn. The situation is not satisfactory, Greens parliamentary group leader Cornelia Lüddemann said on Friday in the infrastructure committee of the state parliament. “I want trains to run.” There were always problems, especially on the Halle-Sangerhausen-Kassel and Magdeburg-Halle routes. Many trains were canceled or delayed.
Committee chairman Falko Grube (SPD) said the current situation motivates people to drive more. He has the feeling that trains are canceled faster in Saxony-Anhalt than elsewhere. Kerstin Eisenreich (Die Linke) said it was “a single catastrophe” that the failure of a signal box employee, as recently, caused train cancellations and long diversions. “Improvements urgently need to be initiated here.”
The regional head of Deutsche Bahn for Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, Martin Walden, admitted the problems in the committee. Short-term train cancellations are “unacceptable,” he said. Personnel problems are responsible for this. Many older employees are retiring, and there is also a higher turnover among existing staff. Furthermore, digitization has not progressed as quickly as hoped.
Walden indicated that the situation could remain difficult in the future. They are trying to recruit more staff, he said. However, the employees often have to work in outdated signal boxes, and the work is more strenuous and poorly paid than other jobs. “Our dilemma is that we basically have to inspire enthusiasm for a job that is not so attractive,” said the company representative.
Transport Minister Lydia Hüskens (FDP) recently called for the outdated signal box technology to be replaced with modern electronic or digital signal boxes. The railway confirmed on Friday that technical solutions were planned in the future. The implementation will take some time, so Walden.
