City council increases pressure

Wiener Linien: “SOKO U2” now investigating errors

(Bild: APA/Wiener Linien/Tobias Holzer)

The delays to the purple line are now calling Vienna's public transport councillor Peter Hanke (SPÖ) to the scene: he is talking about "commissioning in late fall" and is now having the breakdowns evaluated.

If the delay of the delay is delayed, then that is the story of the U2. After the start date was postponed by a year, it was supposed to be ready for the start of school at the latest. But even today, the U2 still does not run between Karlsplatz and Schottentor. As reported,"the externally commissioned French companies responsible for the new platform screen doors and the associated software experienced delays in meeting time-critical milestones", as Wiener Linien explained. There were also language barriers in the translation of the contract.

Public transport city councillor Peter Hanke has increased the pressure on the management level(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

"Mistakes have been made"
Wiener Linien boss Alexandra Reinagl herself had to admit to "management errors". And these are now being investigated by politicians. "My personal expectation was to open the entire U2 line to passengers in mid-November. However, an important milestone that Wiener Linien set together with two French suppliers was not met by these companies," explains Public Transport Councillor Peter Hanke. "Wiener Linien is taking the companies to task and is considering legal action."
He added: "Furthermore, it is clear to me that mistakes have been made in this project. One consequence of this is that I have commissioned Wiener Stadtwerke to carry out a comprehensive evaluation in which the process is to be critically reviewed." Meaning: a kind of "SOKO U2" is investigating who failed where and when

And when will the U2 run again? Hanke: "A recommissioning is only realistic in late fall." And that, as we know, lasts until December 21.