The signatories – Kombiverkehr, Hupac and TX Logistik as leading combined transport operators in Germany, together with freight transport associations from Germany and across Europe – have for months, in some cases years, been warning about the imminent shift of freight traffic from rail back to road when key freight corridors are closed for extended periods without adequate diversion options.
This shift has already begun, the letter states, and is well documented. Its cause lies in the insufficient performance of rail infrastructure.
Over the coming years, the signatories expect hundreds of thousands of additional truck journeys as a result of planned corridor renovations in Germany that “largely disregard industrial supply requirements”.
On the major Alpine corridors through Austria and Switzerland alone, this would mean around 500,000 extra trucks on the roads, with corresponding increases in emissions, congestion and accident risk.
Without immediate countermeasures, the letter continues, Europe risks losing transport capacity, competitiveness and climate progress.
In response it calls for: a freeze on track access charges for 2026; a capacity guarantee of at least 90% during corridor renovations; upgrading of suitable diversion routes; train path allocation according to market needs; compensation for operational restrictions on inferior routes; and, suspension of cancellation fees.