FOT Director on the SBB financial shortfall "It doesn't just cost twice as much"
FOT Director Christa Hostettler has only been in office for a short time - and immediately has to announce a financial gap in the expansion of the railroad. She is also "astonished". But there can be no question of a doubling.
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- The billion-euro shortfall in the expansion of the rail infrastructure has left politicians and the public in a state of shock.
- The new Director of the Federal Office of Transport (FOT), Christa Hostettler, said she was not shocked, but "astonished".
- However, Hostettler emphasizes that 80 measures have now been added to the original 160: "It doesn't just cost twice as much."
FOT Director Christa Hostettler has only been in office for just over three months and has been under considerable pressure from the outset. Now the huge financial shortfall for the rail infrastructure is causing the next bang for the buck. The already planned and agreed expansion will cost almost twice as much as originally estimated.
"It didn't shock us, that would be an exaggeration, but it did surprise us," said Christa Hostettler in an interview with SRF, but qualified: "But it has to be said that it won't simply cost twice as much. We originally planned 160 measures, but now 80 have been added."
Ten years ago, however, very optimistic assumptions were made. Now, however, the system is very complex and passenger volumes have increased significantly. That is why reserves are now needed, i.e. "additional crossings, overpasses or sidings".
Stations in Basel and Lucerne "not on the brink"
Hostettler denies a direct connection with the surprising end of the highway expansion, but says it does have "certain effects". After all, it is clear that public transport alone cannot cushion growth. The company is therefore working closely with the Federal Roads Office.
When asked about the possible closure of the two underground stations in Basel and Lucerne, Hostettler said: "They are not on the brink of collapse." Included in the 14 billion is one billion "to continue studies and further develop the projects."
14 billion in additional costs
It was announced on Thursday that the expansion of the rail infrastructure will be significantly more expensive than planned up to 2035. In addition to the CHF 16.4 billion already approved by the National Council, a further CHF 14 billion will be incurred.
The FOT announced that the majority of the additional costs of CHF 8.5 billion will be incurred for extensive construction work such as station conversions, new tracks and stabling facilities.
A further CHF 5.5 billion will be needed for projects that have already been decided and will be more expensive. These include the Brütten tunnel on the Zurich-Winterthur line.
