ÖBB is moving a connecting rail project: Citizens are fighting for the environment!

ÖBB is moving a connecting rail project: Citizens are fighting for the environment!

In Hietzing, the connecting railway remains a central topic that concerns the mind. The ÖBB has postponed the redesign of the connecting railway for an indefinite period, since a legally valid UVP notification is currently missing. The reason for this delay lies in the current complaint procedure ahead of the Federal Administrative Court (BVWG), whose decision is expected in autumn 2025. This reports meinzirk.at .

The ÖVP district chief Johanna Zinkl sees the decision of the ÖBB a way to evaluate the project and hopes for new opportunities for the region. "A legally valid decision is essential and we have to wait for the procedure," she explains. She emphasizes that the next steps have to be coordinated closely with other projects, but this leads to the ambiguity of the exact schedule.

conversation among residents

Meanwhile, deputy SPÖ district leader Marcel Höckner expresses his displeasure with the situation. He criticizes the delays and the resistance to the connecting railway and emphasizes: "Around 20,000 people in the district live and work outside. A well -thought -out railway project would be an attractive option for many". Peter Pelz from the Neos Hietzing also expresses mixed feelings and demands better planning of the ÖBB. "We have to use the delay to develop a contemporary project," he states.

The situation is also difficult by the three citizens' initiatives that have spoken out against the positive UVP notice. They call for an alternative design of the project to reduce traffic. The initiatives include "connecting railbars" and "attracting the connecting railway-without a high route and a loss of crossing", which are supported by the ÖVP Hietzing.

environmental impact assessment on the test bench

The UVP notice, which has given the approval for the project "Attractory of the connecting railway", is based on remarkable resistance among residents. The Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology rejected the objections of citizens. These referred primarily to the release of railway crossings and the potential dangers from freight traffic, which could roll through Hietzing in the future. Critical voices are particularly concerned about the dangerous goods transport near schools and kindergartens. The volume of traffic could also be affected by the laying of the tram tracks, so that the district demands a quick review of the comprehensive documents and statements.

For the associated design competition, ÖBB and the city of Vienna have issued clear requirements for greening measures. However, the objections of three citizens' initiatives and the environmental organization "Alliance for Nature" represent massive challenges for the project. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop until the BVWG will make its decision in autumn.

Further information and participation options for environmental examination can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety: Buend2021.de .