By rosebell
As part of the underground freight transport section of the Cargo sous terrain (CST) project, work on a proposed underground freight transport system in Switzerland has been put on hold for the foreseeable future by he Federal Office of Transport has decided work on the Sectoral Transport Plan, and will not continue until some issues have been clarified, especially the private financing of the project.
Despite this situation,the government remains open to the project, and dialogue is continuing with CST.
The fact that the CST is technically feasible, economically viable, and socially beneficial, has been confirmed in a review by the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, and Communications (DETEC) this year.
Following acknowledging that the project is not economically viable under the current legal framework or without political support, currently CST is restructuring.
According to the company:”For CST to function, a stable partnership with the federal government, cantons, and cities is needed, with the goal of ensuring that all modes of transport can make their optimal contribution. This integration into the overall logistics system must be politically anchored and implemented jointly to accommodate the growth in freight traffic and fully leverage the benefits of CST. Since these prerequisites are currently lacking, implementation is not economically viable at this time. CST AG is therefore adapting its focus and organisation to the circumstances. It will use the acquired knowledge to offer city logistics solutions for Switzerland and internationally that are in immediate demand.”
They also added: “In Switzerland, the goal remains to work with politicians to develop suitable framework conditions for implementation. CST can thus also lay the foundation for further privately financed infrastructure projects. CST’s basic idea remained “correct and compelling.”
“It would take time before CST was anchored in transport policy and could attract long-term investment. We currently do not have the resources to continue the organisation with its current focus, and we are therefore adapting to the realities. This way, the capital invested can be optimally used in the interests of the shareholders, and the acquired expertise can be harnessed,” said Chairman Marco Rosso.
While CST was supposed to be a 500km, nationwide freight network system for automated electric freight vehicles, the scheduled date for inaugurating the first 70km section, connecting the Härkingen-Niederbipp hub with Zurich Airport, was in 2031 and the nationwide network by 2045. CST began geotech work in 2023.
