"The mobility network aims to contribute to a socially and spatially equitable transport transition in Thuringia. It serves as a platform for exchange, communication, and knowledge transfer among the various stakeholders in the transport sector. Given the fragmented municipal and transport structures of our state, it will support us in developing innovative solutions, particularly for mobility in rural areas. The success of the mobility transition will depend primarily on rural areas, where around 80% of the population lives and the vast majority travel daily," said Minister Susanna Karawanskij at yesterday's launch event.
The mobility network comprises approximately 40 experts from various disciplines, including leading municipal associations, businesses, academia, civil society organizations, transport and passenger associations, and state politics. In addition to networking, exchange, and knowledge transfer, the network aims to provide strategic impetus for transport policy in the coming years. This will involve linking demographic change, climate change, and the evolving mobility needs of the population with sustainable, efficient, and socially equitable mobility solutions.
Within the Thuringian Mobility Network, four interdisciplinary working groups have been established, each with a different thematic focus. These working groups address the topics of transport infrastructure and mobility in the context of spatial development, the further development of rail infrastructure in Thuringia, road-based public transport and integrated timetables, as well as cycling. In addition to these four permanent working groups, there is a temporary expert group that will conduct a campaign to attract skilled workers to public transport companies.
On the occasion of the founding of the Thuringian mobility network, Minister Karawanskij said:
"The Free State of Thuringia faces enormous challenges in the transport sector. In the coming years, federal and state investments in our transport infrastructure must increase significantly. Good infrastructure is essential not only for the quality of life of our citizens, but also for the performance of our economy and science. For this, we need more investment in maintaining our road network, projects in the area of rail infrastructure, the expansion of cycling infrastructure, and more public transport, especially in rural areas."
In light of these challenges, Minister Karawanskij criticized the planned transport budget in the 2025 federal budget. She called for future-proof financing structures for the expansion and modernization of transport infrastructure, for example through special funds or by reforming the debt brake. Debt for sustainable investments in our infrastructure is not a burden for future generations, but rather a prerequisite for tomorrow's prosperity.
She was particularly critical: "The planned federal funding for rail infrastructure is far from sufficient given the enormous backlog of repairs and investments. Furthermore, the federal government is cutting regionalization funds instead of significantly increasing them and finally enabling the states to expand public transport, make it climate-neutral, and double ridership by 2030. Federal funding for cycling is a far cry from the so-called 'bicycle billion' that we, as the Conference of Transport Ministers, unanimously demanded. And regarding the urgently needed long-term safeguarding of the road network, we still don't know where this is headed. All in all, this federal budget will not make the transport infrastructure fit for the mobility transition."
The attached photos may be used for reporting purposes, provided the source (TMIL / K. Müller) is cited.
