The federal government and the state of Tyrol agree on the financing of the new Innsbruck-Rum regional train
Gewessler: Expansion of public transport continues
Vienna (PK) – Two traffic issues that die in National Council negotiated today concerned the expansion of public transport. With an agreement Innsbruck 15a agreement 15 The federal government to expand a regional railway line in the metropolitan area. An application to finance the 1-2-3 ticket gave the MPs the opportunity to express their support for the now implemented climate ticket. Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler emphasizes that the expansion of public transport is being promoted with numerous projects.
In addition, a number of Court of Auditors reports were added to the MPs’ late debate program, all of which were unanimously adopted. A collective report by the Committee on Petitions and Citizens’ Initiatives was approved by a majority. In addition, on suspicion of an administrative offense under the Epidemic Act, the City of Vienna’s magistrate is now allowed to investigate FPÖ MP Martin Graf. The National Council follows the recommendation of the Immunity Committee and approves “extradition” with a majority. In the committee, ÖVP and Greens spoke out in favor of the fact that there was no connection to the political activity of the MP and that the investigation could therefore be started.
Bund solid regional train for central Tyrol with
In the interests of developing environmentally friendly local public transport, the federal government will support the “Regionalbahn Tiroler Zentralraum – Rum section” project. With the new regional train, the heavily traffic-loaded central Tyrolean area is to be relieved. As part of a 15a agreement it is stipulated that the federal government and the state of Tyrol jointly bear the costs of a tram project. These are stated by the Ministry of Transport at € 36.2 million for the period from 2021 to 2023. The political groups voted unanimously in favor of the conclusion of the agreement.
In order to enable the expansion of the local railway line to Rum in the form of a tram, it was necessary to solve complex questions of financing and funding. The 15a agreement, with which the federal government assumes a total of 45% of the costs, now offers this solution, explained Hermann Weratschnig (Greens). The project is only one of several regional rail projects for metropolitan areas.
SPÖ traffic spokesman Alois Stöger praised the decision of the Minister of Transport to invest heavily in rail traffic. The railways must be promoted in all metropolitan areas, there is still work to be done here, emphasizes some Stöger. Klaus Köchl (SPÖ) pointed out the traffic problems in Carinthia and above all the expansion of the S37. The project was already fully planned and should be tackled soon in the interests of the Carinthians, said Köchl.
His group supports the project, which relieves a heavily used route, said Gerald Hauser (FPÖ). The MP also called for no new construction of the Luegtalbrücke to begin in the Wipptal against the will of the population. Instead, the tunnel variant should be examined, he demands in a motion for a resolution, but no majority. Transport policy should not forget the death of these commuters who depend on cars, said FPÖ MP Christian Hafenecker. In a quick application, he applies for the construction of the S34 expressway in the Traisental, the EIA of which has already been completed. This motion also failed to find a majority.
Erwin Angerer (FPÖ) demands that a gap in the rail line must be closed in the area between Klagenfurt and Villach. This is important because after the expansion of the Koralm route, transit on this route will continue to increase. Angerer has submitted a joint motion for a resolution from the SPÖ, FPÖ and NEOS, which calls for the Minister of Transport to include a new railway line and noise protection measures in the Klagenfurt-Villach goods area in the ÖBB master plan. There is no majority for the motion.
The funds that are invested in the expansion of the route are tax money well invested, emphasized Johannes Margreiter (NEOS). Rum will thus become a transport hub for commuters, where they can switch to local public transport. In addition, however, a park-and-ride facility was to be built.
Hermann Gahr (ÖVP) is also pleased that the expansion of the Innsbruck tram into a regional train extends the environmentally friendly transport offer for commuters on a heavily used route. Rebecca Kirchbaumer (ÖVP) agreed with NEOS MP Margreiter that a good project should be supplemented by a park-and-ride facility.
Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler said that the project fulfills part of the promises made in the government program to promote local public transport across the city limits. So far, the federal government has not been able to fund tram projects, but only full-line projects, which in some cases had false steering effects. This problem will now be solved with the conclusion of the 15a agreement, which is to be followed by others.
Coalition applies for funding for the 1-2-3 ticket with reference to the climate ticket
A SPÖ push For budgetary coverage of an Austria-wide 1-2-3 ticket from the budget year 2021 onwards, the introduction of the climate ticket has meanwhile become superfluous, agrees the MPs of the ÖVP and the Greens and applies for a corresponding application.
Melanie Erasim (SPÖ) had no understanding for the rejection of the application. From their point of view, it is still important to ensure sustainable financing, since the 1-2-3-Ticket project is now being partially implemented as a climate ticket. From their point of view, it would also be important that women can use senior citizens’ tickets from the time they retire, not only from the age of 65. The SPÖ took the opportunity to point out the difficult situation of the parishes. This jeopardizes a number of projects, including in the area of local transport, said Erasim. She calls for a legislative package to sustainably strengthen municipal finances. In particular, this should include the elimination of the repayment obligations from the 2nd municipal package without replacement and the continuation of the municipal investment program (KIP) with a daily volume of € 1 billion until 2024. The SPÖ motion for a resolution did not find a majority.
An Austria-wide annual network map, which is supported by nine federal states and their transport associations, would have been unthinkable a few years ago, said Hermann Weratschnig (Greens). Numerous ministers had failed because of the project that Minister Gewessler had now simply implemented. Commuters in particular would benefit from this. In order to encourage the switch to the railroad, however, it is important to revitalize many regional rail lines.
The new climate ticket has many advantages, said Gerhard Deimek (FPÖ). However, its funding would have to be complete. What he knows so far about the upcoming federal budget makes him fear that there is still a funding gap. Clarity would have to be created here, especially about ÖBB’s financing requirements.
The offer of the climate ticket is extremely attractive, especially for commuters, and a great success, including Andreas Ottenschläger and Franz Leonhard Eßl (both ÖVP). All the partners in the project achieved a great deal of strength here. It will be important to improve the offer of public transport in underserved regions, said ÖVP traffic spokesman Ottenschläger. However, the coalition is on the right track here. His parliamentary colleagues Lukas Brandweiner and Joachim Schnabel also refer to numerous regional environmentally friendly transport projects that are being implemented. With regard to the SPÖ’s application for the 1-2-3 ticket, Schnabel said that the sustainable financing of the climate ticket was guaranteed in the budget. The SPÖ has meanwhile also recognized that the government’s investment program for municipalities is good, he said in response to the request of SPÖ MP Erasim. Although she initially criticized it massively, she called for it to be continued.
The implementation of the climate ticket was not easy, said Johannes Margreiter (NEOS). From his point of view, it is important to evaluate the ticket in a few years’ time in order to be able to say whether it actually fulfills its promise and has motivated people to switch to environmentally friendly transport.
The Minister of Transport has implemented a mammoth project here, said Lukas Hammer (Greens). Climate protection can only work if you make climate-friendly behavior easier for people. The climate ticket brings great savings to many commuters.
The project that has now been implemented has been part of government programs for 15 years, recalled Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler. From October 26th, it will be easier than ever to use public transport throughout Austria. After a week and a half, they hold at 40,000 tickets sold. This shows that the new offer is attractive and has been well received. SHE wanted to take the opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to making this extremely complex project possible. Further projects to expand public transport would follow, the minister assured.
Report of the Committee on Petitions and reports of the Court of Auditors
The collective report of the Committee on Petitions and Citizens’ Initiatives debated by the National Council includes Petitions No. 7th, 40, 46 and 47, 56 and 59 as well as the citizens’ initiatives no. 3 and 35. Among other things, it concerns the topic of the transport network and the continuation of the Ibiza committee of inquiry.
The subjects of the unanimously adopted Court of Auditors reports were the National Action Plan on Nutrition, selected Control areas in health insurance (Follow-up review), psychosocial offers in the states of Salzburg and Styria, the IT project ZEPTA as well as that IT project ZEPTA of the pension insurance company and the subsequent standard product ePV (follow-up review).
A FPÖ submitted in the debate on the report on the National Action Plan on Nutrition did not find a majority in the plenum. This calls on the federal government to force measures against the rising overweight and obesity figures in Austria.
Further RH reports concerned the Procurement of medicines for selected hospitals in Salzburg and Tyrolto do a follow-up review Invalidity Pension New, medical care in the private practice area or Primary care centers, die Obstetrics care in Lower Austria and Vienna, die psychiatric care in hospitals in Carinthia and Tyrol, the role of the federal government in the Austrian hospital planning (Follow-up review), the internal audit and control meeting at the Social security agencies SVA and VAEB as well as the system of Financial target control in healthcare.
In the minority there remained applications from NEOS, with which they advocate the implementation of the recommendation of the Court of Auditors on data quality regarding medical care in private practice as well as ensuring medical care in rural areas. (Final National Council) sox / mbu
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