Politics Council of States wants to promote rail freight transport with reform package

The Council of States wants to prevent a shift back to the roads by strengthening rail freight transport and freight shipping. On Tuesday, it approved large parts of a reform package proposed by the Federal Council.

In the overall vote, the small chamber said yes to the planned total revision of the Freight Transport Act by 35 votes to 3 with 3 abstentions. The bill now goes to the National Council.

Commission spokesperson Josef Dittli (FDP/UR), who is also President of the Association of the Road Haulage Industry (VAP), spoke of a key bill for the future of rail freight transport. The instruments introduced in 2016 for its promotion had not led to a comprehensive improvement for the industry. Now it is time to make improvements.

Specifically, the Council of States wants the federal government to provide financial support for the introduction of digital automatic coupling (DAK), for example. Single wagonload transport is also to be subsidized for a limited period.

SDA