Salzburg's mayor calls for a cost cap for S-Link

Salzburg's mayor calls for a cost cap for S-Link

In the context of current transport infrastructure projects in Austria, Salzburg Mayor Bernhard Auinger (SPÖ) has made an important demand: the costs for the S-Link, an ambitious project to improve local public transport, must be capped. This measure appears to be indispensable in order to clarify financing in cooperation with the state, especially if the population votes in favor of the project. In this context, it is noteworthy that Linz, a city that is also pursuing similar plans, is making do with a significantly lower financial contribution.

The costs for the S-Link in Salzburg amount to up to three billion euros, making it a costly undertaking. In comparison, the planned amount for the Linz project, which includes a new light rail line and a trolleybus axis, is around 940 million euros. The distribution of costs is clearly regulated in Linz: the federal government covers half of the costs, the state pays almost 43 percent, and the city of Linz itself is left with a contribution of only 7.5 percent, which is capped at 50 million euros.

Cost capping as a necessary condition

Bernhard Auinger says that the city of Salzburg is not in a position to cover 25 percent of the costs for the S-Link. He justifies this with the decreasing income from the federal revenue shares. A new forecast is expected at the end of October; This review allows a well-founded assessment of future financial repayments. “Without a cap, it will be very difficult to reach an agreement with the city of Salzburg,” continued Auinger.

Salzburg's transport officer, Stefan Schnöll (ÖVP), states that the city's exact share of the costs still needs to be negotiated. In order to delve deeper into the topic, a discussion will take place on October 22nd at the Augustiner Bräu, where both supporters and critics of the regional light rail will have their say.

Political framework conditions differ

Another interesting aspect is the political approach in Linz, where there was no citizen survey for the planned regional light rail. Instead, a political financing agreement was reached, which, according to the responsible city councilor Eva Schobesberger (Greens), was significantly influenced by financial support from the federal government. This agreement certainly contributed to the promotion of the project and shows how differently the political conditions are handled in the two cities.

The situation as it is in Salzburg requires not only a comprehensive financial review, but also committed political discussions in order to move the project forward. Autonomous decisions and clear financial structures are essential to make the city's transport infrastructure future-proof. More details on this topic can be found in a detailed report on salzburg.orf.at.