Council of States wants to increase funding for rail expansion
Published: Tuesday, Dec 19th 2023, 11:10
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The Council of States wants to spend more money on rail expansion than requested by the Federal Council. When discussing amendments to the 2025 and 2035 expansion stages, it increased the corresponding credits by CHF 350 million.
In the overall vote on Tuesday, the small chamber adopted all four federal resolutions without dissenting votes.
In mid-August, the Federal Council decided to apply to Parliament for a further CHF 2.6 billion from the railroad infrastructure fund. Among other things, this involves the construction of a nine-kilometre railroad tunnel between Morges VD and Perroy VD on the Lausanne - Geneva line. According to current planning, this project alone will lead to additional costs of around CHF 1.3 billion. The tunnel should be completed by 2035 or 2040 at the latest.
There are also plans to widen the Lötschberg base tunnel to two tracks throughout instead of just partially. The national government also approved credit increases for the Brütten tunnel and the expansion of Zurich-Stadelhofen station. It also made funds available for a comprehensive expansion of Geneva and Olten railroad stations.
Regional equalization
The Council of States approved further credit increases of CHF 250 million at the request of its Committee for Transport and Telecommunications (KVF-S). According to its own statement, it wanted to take account of regional interests and the balanced development of public transport.
Like the Commission, the Council of States wants to fund the continuation of planning for the unbundling in Pratteln BL with an additional CHF 25 million in the 2025 expansion step. In the 2035 expansion step, it wants to explicitly provide for the expansion of Ebikon LU station, which will increase the credit by CHF 100 million. The Council also spoke out in favor of the realization of the Morgartenring in Basel with a credit increase of CHF 15 million.
The Council of States increased the credit for the project planning of the Tiefenwinkel double-track expansion on the Zurich-Chur axis by CHF 10 million, as well as for studies on Western Switzerland as part of the 2035 expansion step. In order to prevent further timetable deterioration in Western Switzerland, additional projects worth CHF 100 million are to be included in the 2035 expansion.
At the request of a committee minority, the Council of States also approved an additional CHF 100 million for preliminary investment in the Meilibach Tunnel. This will one day connect the Zimmerberg Base Tunnel underground with the Thalwil ZH - Pfäffikon SZ line.
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