Overall Network Assessment Neckar-Alb
Introduction
The districts of Reutlingen and Tübingen, the Zollernalb district, the cities of Reutlingen and Tübingen, as well as the Neckar-Alb regional association, are pursuing the establishment of a Neckar-Alb regional light rail (RSB) with the aim of tapping the existing demand potential for public transport in this area and connecting the districts to the centers with a forward-looking public transport offer.
Strategic decisions regarding investments in transport infrastructure and the operation of transport facilities are often associated with high financial expenditure. We provide operational and economic performance indicators along with transport-related and macroeconomic effects, such as achievable modal shifts and impacts on greenhouse gas emissions.
Project Description
Various expert reports were intended to demonstrate which operational concepts are demand-oriented and operationally optimal, and whether the planned measures are economically viable, eligible for funding, and financially feasible. As a basis for further decisions by the responsible authorities and as a necessary prerequisite for project funding by the federal government and the state of Baden-Württemberg, PTV Transport Consult, together with DB E&C, was commissioned to carry out in-depth technical and operational planning as well as Standardized Evaluations.
For the first RSB module—Herrenberg to Bad Urach, including the electrification of the Ammertalbahn and Ermstalbahn—PTV submitted a separate Standardized Evaluation, as this module is being implemented ahead of the others. The GVFG funding application has already been submitted, and construction work has begun.
The Standardized Evaluation for the entire network (building on the first module already under implementation) has been submitted to the funding authority.
Project Details
Approach
Within the framework of the project, public transport passenger surveys were conducted in the regional bus sector, operational concepts for rail and bus were developed, planning scenarios and demand forecasts were modeled, and extensive infrastructure planning and cost calculations were carried out. Using the transport planning software PTV VISION, a traffic modeling of supply and demand for both public transport and motorized private transport was created. In this process, existing urban traffic models were integrated into a PTV Visum network covering the entire study area.
The Regional Light Rail Concept
The Neckar-Alb region is one of the most scenic areas of Baden-Württemberg. At the same time, the economic centers in Tübingen and Reutlingen offer many jobs. The planned public transport services are intended to appeal both to commuters and to leisure travelers and tourists.
Until now, the cities of Tübingen and Reutlingen have only had bus services as public transport. The RSB network includes new inner-city tram routes as well as shared use of the largely non-electrified regional railway network, following the model of Karlsruhe.
Various reactivations are planned: between Gomaringen and Reutlingen (“Gomaringen Link”), the Talgangbahn, and between Reutlingen and Kleinengstingen (Echaz Valley). The ascent of the Swabian Alb via the Honauer Steige presents a particular challenge for vehicle configuration. With the construction of this section, bus services can already terminate on the Alb, allowing passengers to use a high-performance RSB system. As a result, significant bus service capacity can be saved, and environmental resources can be conserved. The total length of the RSB network in full build-out is around 200 km (including Module 1).
Results
The Standardized Evaluation for the entire network shows that the project is both operationally and economically viable. With the planned service concepts, approximately 25,000 new public transport customers can be gained. Most of these trips would otherwise be made by car, resulting in an annual reduction of around 100 million car kilometers. This relieves the road traffic network and simultaneously makes a significant contribution to reducing the negative climate impacts of transport.
The Regional-Stadtbahn significantly improves the environmental balance of the region. Overall, 16.4 million tons of CO₂ can be avoided annually, 75% of which comes from saved car trips and 25% from the conversion of public transport to electric drives. This highlights the impact of further electrification of the rail network. Public transport emissions can be reduced with the RSB project while simultaneously expanding to a denser and more customer-friendly service schedule. The net investments amount to approximately €1.1 billion (2016 price level).