"Solingen should not miss out" - BfS advocates for rail partnership and fresh beginning within VRR

In the heart of Germany, the Bürgergemeinschaft für Solingen (BfS) is rallying support for a more efficient and reliable rail passenger transport system, particularly at Solingen Central Station. The local election on September 14, 2025, is looming, and BfS is determined to increase pressure politically, organisationally, and leading up to this date.

The Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) has expressed concern over the current situation at Solingen Central Station, but the nature of the stagnation remains unclear. Martin Bender, a mayoral candidate, has voiced his concerns, stating that Solingen is increasingly being decoupled from rail passenger traffic.

Bender, a representative of BfS, has announced an initiative for a joint alliance for rail passenger transport with neighbouring cities and districts, including the Bergisches Städtedreieck, Mettmann, the Rheinisch-Bergischer district, Düsseldorf, Cologne, and Hagen. The slogan of BfS, "Citizens' Community for Solingen - better for Solingen", serves as both a promise and a claim.

The issues at Solingen Central Station are not just temporary due to construction measures but are structural and older in nature. Disruptions affect various lines, including S1, S7, RE7, RE47, RB48, and long-distance trains. Regular commuters often miss connecting trains, which can ruin appointments and decrease trust in the railway.

Punctuality, reliability, and stable connections to local and long-distance traffic are the core demands of BfS for Solingen Central Station. The organisation criticises regular fare increases as the only major change at the station, and improvements for Solingen at the VRR have been nonexistent, despite the same party representatives being in place for decades.

BfS advocates for a change of personnel at the VRR, arguing that new heads, new ideas, and more commitment to Solingen's concerns are necessary. Failure to address these demands could result in stagnation or decoupling for Solingen as a residential and economic location.

Despite the text not providing specific information about which cities and regions the Bürgergemeinschaft für Solingen wants to join in a partnership for rail passenger transport, Bender's initiative aims to create a united front to tackle the problems at Solingen Central Station comprehensively. The BfS is determined to bring about positive change for Solingen's commuters and residents alike.

"Solingen should not miss out" - BfS advocates for rail partnership and fresh beginning within VRR