Berlin, February 13 – A tragic fatal attack on a 36-year-old train conductor in Rhineland-Palatinate has cast a stark spotlight on the issue of safety in rail transport. In response, representatives from federal and state governments, trade unions, associations, and public transport authorities convened today in Berlin for a crucial safety summit.
Focus on Enhanced Safety for Railway Employees
The primary objective of the meeting is to devise new strategies to bolster the safety of railway employees, particularly those who interact daily with passengers, such as train conductors and service staff. Evelyn Palla, head of Deutsche Bahn, has already indicated her intention to present concrete proposals at the summit. “All parties involved should reflect on what specific contribution they can make to enhance safety,” she stated in a video conference with thousands of employees.
Unions Demand Concrete Measures
Railway unions EVG and GDL have expressed alarm and have long been advocating for tangible measures to protect their members. The Railway and Transport Union (EVG) is particularly pushing for a nationwide implementation of a two-person crew for ticket inspections on regional trains, a departure from the current practice where often only one conductor is present.
The works councils of the German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) recently echoed this demand in an open letter to the Bahn CEO. They emphasized, “For trains with nine or more carriages, a minimum 1:2 staffing – one train manager and two train conductors – is absolutely essential for reasons of safety, accessibility, and mutual support.”
Fatal Attack Sparks National Outrage
The case of Serkan C. last week triggered widespread outrage across Germany. He was fatally assaulted by a passenger without a ticket on a regional train near Kaiserslautern when he attempted to remove the individual from the train. The conductor, a father of two, sustained severe head injuries that ultimately proved fatal. The alleged assailant, a 26-year-old Greek national, is currently in pre-trial detention.
According to Deutsche Bahn, approximately 3,000 physical assaults on its employees were reported last year. While this marked a slight decrease compared to the previous year, the EVG highlights a significant deterioration in the sense of security among staff, citing a survey of around 4,000 employees conducted last year.
Bodycams with Audio Recording: A Future Standard?
The survey revealed that over 80% of respondents had experienced a verbal or physical assault in their work environment. Nearly 10% reported having been sexually harassed. Almost two-thirds of those surveyed indicated that their sense of security had noticeably worsened over the past five years.
Consequently, the EVG continues to advocate for the widespread availability of bodycams for employees, equipped with audio recording capabilities. This is considered crucial for documenting verbal assaults and holding perpetrators accountable.
Currently, bodycams are available to all Deutsche Bahn regional transport staff who wish to wear them. However, their use is not yet widespread in long-distance travel and at stations, nor is it uniformly adopted by competitor railway companies.
Challenges in Implementing Nationwide Regulations
Ensuring safety in rail transport is a complex undertaking. In long-distance travel, the federal police are expected to provide support on trains. However, police unions believe that the current burden on forces is already excessive.
In regional transport, the responsibility for safety lies with the respective transport authorities and companies. Tender specifications sometimes dictate the staffing levels for trains, leading to considerable regional disparities.
The Question of Funding
The discussion surrounding additional train conductors is inevitably linked to the question of financing. An across-the-board double staffing could incur hundreds of millions of euros in additional costs. “Comprehensive presence of security personnel in all vehicles and at all stations is as unfeasible due to financial and personnel capacity reasons as having a police officer on every street corner,” states a position paper from the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV).
Matthias Gastel, railway expert for the Green Party, has called for additional funding for more train personnel. He told the “Augsburger Allgemeine” that federal and state governments must agree on a distribution of financing. He added that “the ordering parties must specify in the tenders for regional transport how many train conductors are to be provided on which trains.”
Given the public attention, there is significant pressure on all parties involved to present concrete solutions and implement them swiftly at Friday’s meeting. In addition to Bahn CEO Palla, Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) is also expected to attend.
Sources: Deutsche Bahn, EVG, GDL, VDV, dpa
