The project was launched after the Federal Court of Auditors found that the region did not have an adequate regional transport plan in 2016, resulting in large amounts of surplus funding.
The public transport plan includes:
- €1bn budgeted until 2031 to renew light rail and tram networks, including €77m in 2020
- around €180m invested into the region’s rail network, to upgrade tracks and improve punctuality
- around €100m invested in rural bus services over the next 12 years, and
- around €120m to establish a form of on-demand public transport shuttle, which would be booked through an app.
The region is also looking into the possibility of reopening closed lines, with €140m earmarked for reconstruction and operation on the Westphalian Regional and Teutoburger Waldeisen lines.
