Future of rail transport: Hanau starts offensive for accessibility

Future of rail transport: Hanau starts offensive for accessibility

At the end of January, an important rail traffic meeting of the IHK Hanau-Gelnhausen-Schlicht took place, in which representatives from politics, administration, transport companies and Deutsche Bahn came together. The aim was to improve mobility and quality of life in Hanau and in the Main-Kinzig district. Dr. Klaus Vornhusen from Deutsche Bahn and other participants presented various regional and national infrastructure projects, which are intended to change the face of traffic connections. The most important projects include the expansion and new construction of the Hanau-Gelnhausen-Fulda route, the electrification of the Niddertalbahn and the development of a northern Main S-Bahn.

A central concern of the meeting was the renovation of the train stations in the Main-Kinzig district, especially with regard to accessibility. From 2027, extensive construction measures are planned that aim at a barrier-free conversion of the train stations on the Hanau-Gelnhausen-Fulda route. These include the Bad Soden-Salmünster and Steinau train stations, where the central platforms are to be renewed and increased to ensure improved access. In addition, new elevator systems are installed and the home platform on the reception buildings are also being renovated.

Need of noise protection

The expansion of the Kinzigtal route is also on the agenda of regional traffic development. In a conversation between the district tip and representatives of the Deutsche Bahn in the district office in Gelnhausen, the need for more noise protection was explicitly discussed. Dirk Rompf from DB Netz AG and Gerd-Dietrich Bolte, Head of Large Projects Mitte at Deutsche Bahn, assured an examination of the so-called "variant eight" for the expansion of the route between Würzburg, Hanau and Fulda. This is brought into the discussion by various citizens' initiatives as an alternative.

Deutsche Bahn was open to measures to retrofit noise protection along the existing route. As part of this discussion, the barrier-free development of the train stations was also emphasized as the core claim of the Main-Kinzig district. These claims are supported by discussions between the District Administrator Thorsten Stolz and Hesse's Transport and Economic Minister Tarek al-Wazir.

financing and implementation

The central demands in the current debate include the retrofitting of noise protection and accessibility on all reception buildings and platforms. However, the financing and implementation of these measures depends significantly on the political decisions of the German Bundestag. A new needs plan implementation agreement between the federal government and the German railway should serve as the basis in order to integrate overriding claims. District Administrator proudly described this instrument as "hopeful and realistic" and emphasized the need for convincing by the local members of the Bundestag in Berlin.

Responsibility for accessibility in the railway infrastructure company is primarily at DB Station & Service AG, which ensures that all measures are implemented for barrier -free construction in accordance with the applicable requirements. Osthessen-news reports on the far-reaching concepts to improve the infrastructure in the region, while op-online addresses and challenges when expanding the Kinzigtal route. For further information on accessibility, the specifications and current developments on the website of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport