Public letter

Fernstein boss paints threatening toll scenario

According to the province's original plans, the Fernstein Hotel would only be accessible via a toll road.(Bild: Daum Hubert)

Fernstein owner Bernward Köhle has already threatened to close the entire area to the public due to the toll plans. Now, shortly before the hearing for the Fernpass tunnel, he is publishing long-term consequences that were "not considered".

The area around Fernsteinsee, a natural gem featured in the ORF program "9 Plätze, 9 Schätze" (9 Places, 9 Treasures) in 2022, would probably be the first local recreation area to be closed to the public. Until recently, a toll station for the Fernpass tunnel was planned around two kilometers away. When the mayor of Nassereither recently pointed out this absurdity, LHStv. Josef Geisler (ÖVP) promised to reconsider the positioning of the toll stations.

Perhaps Fernstein owner Köhle had an influence on this because he threatened to close the area to the public. Now he is following up with a letter in which he points out the long-term consequences of tolling with objectivity and politeness.

Paying for a walk around the natural gem of Fernsteinsee?(Bild: Daum Hubert)

"AUSSER-FERN will once again recede into the distance"
Very important points have not yet been taken into consideration. Families are being torn apart. "The Außerfern is the only district in Austria that is so heavily burdened with toll costs," writes Köhle, meaning that the AUSSER-FERN will once again become a distant prospect. The economic consequences cannot be explained in a few sentences. Hardly any apprenticeship contracts would be concluded, and service contracts would be rather short.

Medium-sized orders would tend to go to companies in Füssen, Kempten and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The region would narrow its focus - easily possible today with the EU - to Tyrol. This would make a mockery of the numerous efforts of the then governor Eduard Wallnöfer to integrate the district into the rest of Tyrol. These are just some of the issues that unfortunately lie ahead if the Fernpass toll is a bad investment.

"Toll for an excursion? Never!"
Köhle cites a few examples from the Außerfern and Tiroler Oberland tourist regions, where it will be "pay, pay, pay" in future: guests traveling from the Allgäu, Munich or Innsbruck by plane or car. Excursions by guests to the nearby royal castles, to Plansee, to the Lech or Tannheimer valleys. "Toll for an excursion? Never, never!" The tunnel would only reduce the journey time very slightly, but the disadvantages for the local population would be very significant! However, the hearing is already scheduled for Thursday in Nassereith.