“Germany’s New Climate Protection and Infrastructure Modernization Plan: Accelerating Rail, Road Repairs, and Renewable Energy”

2023-03-29 07:00:00

The coalition committee met for two and a half days, and the results are now in. The 16-page paper with the unwieldy title “Modernization package for climate protection and planning acceleration” does give priority to rail, but road projects are also to be accelerated.

The government wants to concentrate primarily on repairs; the text speaks bluntly of the “dilapidated bridges” in Germany. It is particularly emphasized that “for the design of the replacement bridges, the future traffic development (can) be taken into account”. So far this has been a matter of course; it is a clear indication of how doggedly it was necessary to fight for any relief for road users. In order to finance the expansion of the railway, the truck toll is to be increased.

If new trunk roads are built, the areas along the route should be used for “renewable energies”. The distance regulations for large systems established for safety reasons will no longer apply.

The electrification of the vehicle fleet is to be further promoted, and the coalition has recognized that the charging infrastructure is a massive obstacle. Parking lot operators and building owners must therefore adapt to the new regulations. Petrol stations will be forced to set up at least one fast charging station within five years. And so the goal is proclaimed: “Charging must be as easy as refueling.”

The new charging stations are intended to help achieve an ambitious goal: 15 million electric cars by 2030 – in just seven years. But the government is also committed to the decision to allow the approval of new combustion engines after 2035, provided they are operated with climate-neutral e-fuels. This opens the door to further development of the automobile that is open to all technologies, including classic drives.

The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) largely welcomed the results. The technology-open approach helps to achieve the ambitious CO2 reduction goals. “Every option that can contribute to climate-neutral mobility must be used. The equality of electric vehicles and vehicles that are operated with climate-neutral fuels is therefore a step in the right direction,” said association president Hildegard Müller.

Critical tones came from the Federal Association of Road Haulage, Logistics and Disposal (BGL). The planned doubling of the truck toll from 2024 is “political hara-kiri”, according to BGL spokesman Dirk Engelhardt: In the absence of alternatives to diesel trucks, the toll increase lacks any steering function. “Habeck & Co should consider whether they should have their rhubarb spritzer in the future It would not be better to have it delivered to your doorstep by train,” added the association spokesman. (aum)

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