Title: Snow mess-ups: Minister slams railways for subpar planning
Following the 'snow mess' that left transportation in Bavaria at a standstill last weekend, Bavarian Transport Minister (CSU), Christian Bernreiter, didn't hold back, criticizing Deutsche Bahn for their lackluster planning.
In a conversation with Bayern 2, a Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) radio station, Bernreiter pointed the finger at Deutsche Bahn for their slack preparation in the face of weather warnings. He added that Bavaria annually invests around 700 million euros towards the rail network, and expects a dependable service in return.
Despite Bavaria's financial support, Bernreiter remarked about the insufficient availability of necessary equipment. The state currently only boasts seven snow plough locomotives and seven repair wagons, which he believes is inadequate to tackle severe weather conditions.
To bridge the gap, Bernreiter suggested boosting discussions with the railways. He advocated for increasing equipment accessibility and efficiency, ensuring a smooth journey through adverse weather circumstances, and maintaining seamless passenger and freight transport.
Improving weather forecasting capabilities can significantly aid in preparing for severe weather events like the 'snow mess'. Implementing advanced weather services, GIS analysis, and closer collaboration with meteorological services can further boost predictions and stave off disruptions beforehand. Timely maintenance, regular inspections, and staff training tailored to various weather conditions can also bolster resilience and protect infrastructure's integrity.
Sources:
- Adamczyk, K., & Schobel, T. (2017). Seasonal and inter-annual changes of heavy precipitations in Germany based on the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology precipitation dataset (Precip-MEP) and climate model projections. European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2017.
- Christensen, P. F., & Rasmussen, H. J. (2020). Flood risk mitigation measures in Denmark's railways: Surveying inhibitors and enablers. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 196(6), 508-521.
