Taken out of the drawer

Idea for ring streetcar in the Ländle rekindled

State Councillor for Mobility Daniel Zadra has taken the idea of a ring streetcar for the Lower Rhine Valley out of the drawer again "because the signs have changed". Meanwhile, the euphoria of the black coalition partner is limited. 

Not many people in Vorarlberg are aware of this: A streetcar line was opened between Dornbirn and Lustenau back in 1902, but was abandoned as early as 1938. After that, the subject fell silent until a good ten years ago, when entrepreneur Hubert Rhomberg came up with the idea of a circular tramway. However, this was rejected in the course of the "Mobil im Rheintal" planning process for cost reasons.

Now, Daniel Zadra, the state councillor for mobility, has reignited the debate about a streetcar: the signs have changed and there is now the possibility of attracting more money from the federal government and the EU, argues the Green politician. 

"Green castle in the air"
This initiative is not particularly well received by the black coalition partner. ÖVP parliamentary group leader Roland Frühstück speaks of a "green castle in the air", especially as there is no new feasibility study including the route, relief effect and cost estimate. In this context, he cannot resist a side blow at Zadra: "The provincial councillor should have had enough time in recent years to turn the vision outlined in the government program into a concrete project. This has obviously not happened, which I really regret."

Only when all fundamental questions have been clarified can such a project be seriously discussed "on the basis of facts and data", said Frühstück.