Brandenburg An der Havel is fighting for new trams: Who helps?

Brandenburg An der Havel is fighting for new trams: Who helps?

Brandenburg an der Havel.The Brandenburg (VBBR) transport company (VBBR) are in a critical situation, since they are currently in the middle of an uncertainty regarding the planned procurement of new trams. The first four lanes for VBBR are currently being produced in the Czech city of Pilsen, which are expected to be delivered by the coming spring. But the big question mark remains whether the hoped -for twelve new vehicles can actually be delivered or whether it stays with these four.

The main reason for this uncertainty is financing. Eight other lanes have not yet been financed, and those responsible in Brandenburg hope for support from the country. This support was promised, but remains non -binding and leads to a tense situation.

The urgency of the decision

By the end of the year, a decision must be made whether the city will lose the other eight trams. With a view to the contractual agreements, a waiting could lead to the city has to pay more in the future, since prices could increase significantly by then. "Every new tram currently costs 2.9 million euros. If a possible individual order, the price could increase to up to four million euros," warned Jörg Vogler, the managing director of VBBR.

This situation is made more difficult by the fact that there is only a limited number of manufacturers on the market that are able to manufacture these specific small series. The pressure on the transport companies increases because other cities have already found solutions: Frankfurt (or) will finance its new trams through loans, while Cottbus has no financing worries, since the region is supported with funding in the course of the coal phase -out.

The Stadtholding of Brandenburg an der Havel, which also includes VBBR, has also advised about possible investment grants. For 2025, financial support of 1.35 million euros was expected, but the realizable sum was only 333,000 euros, which leaves a clear deficit of over one million euros.

Effects of the political situation

In the current political situation, the old state government only acts as a manual, which further reduces the likelihood of reliable financial commitments. For this reason, a special meeting of the Supervisory Board of Technical Works by Brandenburg (TWB) will be convened in order to create clarity through the financing of the trams. The VBBR are dependent on the city of Brandenburg an der Havel as the sole partner.

In addition, it is emphasized that new grants for public transport from the state parliament could not be decided until spring 2025, which further exacerbates the situation. In view of these circumstances, it remains questionable whether the city and the transport companies are willing to take the risk of giving up a binding order from ŠKODA transport without the financing commitments being secured.

These developments underline the urgent need for Brandenburg an der Havel to find a solution promptly. The trams are not only important for the current traffic needs, but also for the future infrastructure of the city. The uncertainty about the financing raises many questions that have to be answered quickly to ensure a fundamental improvement in public transport. Details on these developments are from www.maz-online.de continued.