Mainschleifenbahn: passenger study is late
26 minutes on the mainschleifenbahn from volkach to wurzburg. The optimism of being able to achieve this goal in the near future was still high less than a year ago. In the meantime, the proponents of the line between astheim and seligenstadt have become very disillusioned. The demand study, which was supposed to open the way to the german rail network and the direction of wurzburg, has been stuck for months – at the bavarian railroad company (BEG).
The direct connection to wurzburg seemed close for once. In november 2016, the CSU member of the state parliament otto hunnerkopf explained during a press interview that the ministry of the interior had awarded the contract for the demand forecast (potential analysis). The result will be available in spring 2017. Hoped-for result of the forecast was 1000 passengers per day. This would be the minimum requirement for a revival of the line.
The paper announced for spring is still with the BEG. And is probably in the works: "at present, the information relevant for the forecast estimate is still being coordinated with the district offices," says BEG on request. As soon as all information was available, the forecast of the number of passengers could be finalized. The state-owned company does not specify a possible date.
"We officially know nothing, even though we were structure operators," says a horribly frustrated wolfgang schramm, chairman of the mainschleifenbahn community of interests. He’s just wondering about the delay in the needs study. The district of wurzburg considers the reactivation of the rail connection a "sensible story".
Astonishment also in the kitzingen district. The district office had done its "homework" and sent the information required for the demand forecast to BEG, explained press spokeswoman corinna petzold. The documents had been with the BEG since may, without result: "we are waiting for the demand forecast."
A reason for the rapid progress can be found in the wurzburg district administration office. Although the BEG – according to press spokeswoman eva-maria schorno – "already informed the district by e-mail in july" that the district supports the plan for the mainschleifenbahn, it is somewhat behind in obtaining the data needed for the study. Because of the "significant cuts in bus service" and the financial impact on the county, the requested documents "have not yet been fully prepared," writes schorno. But these were submitted in short to the BEG.
The problem for the volkach-seligenstadt-wurzburg railroad line is not the necessary switch into the railroad network. The sticking point is the expected number of passengers. The BEG previously assumed 400 possible users per month, while the wurzburg traffic researcher konrad schliephake assumed 1400 to 1600 passengers. Minimum ware 1000 users of the railroad.
