The German Transport Minister announced, on Monday, September 22, the appointment of Evelyn Palla to the Head of Deutsche Bahn, with the heavy mission of straightening the public railway company, beginning with the punctuality of the trains.
Currently, in charge of the regional lines, Evelyn Palla becomes the first woman to direct the group. She happens to Richard Lutz, president of the Management Board since 2017, dismissed in August before the end of her mandate.
His predecessor Richard Lutz was under fire due to the lack of punctuality of long distance trains, decreasing for years.
Make German “more reliable” trains
Last year, only 62.5% of trains arrived on time, against 79% in 2016. And this summer, “for three consecutive days in early July and for the first time in the history of the DB, less than 40% of long -distance trains were on time,” said Minister Patrick Schnieder.
He announced a project to reform the company so that “more reliable” German trains, in particular, improving their cleaning, as well as communication with travelers. It is aimed at a punctuality rate of at least 70% by 2029, among other measures aimed at straightening the company.
The Management of the Infrago Public Infrastructure Subsidiary must also be reduced: in the future, it will only have six members for the Management Board, against eight.
“Many assimilate the dysfunction of the railroads to a dysfunction of our state,” complained the minister, when traffic is strongly disturbed in the country. The company, 100% property of the federal state, remains strongly indebted despite the sale of its pepita this summer, the profitable logistics subsidiary Schenker.
The group can count until the end of the legislature in 2029 of 107 billion euros in public aid, including more than 20 billion this year. The large part comes from the Special Infrastructure Fund of 500 billion euros adopted in March for the Government
Source: BFM TV
