Commuting with a beat?

Available from us with progress on the Haller Willem!

Good news for the Haller Willem: the implementation of a half-hourly service on the railway line between Osnabrück and Halle (Westphalia) has taken an important step forward. The land required for the expansion at Westbarthausen station has been acquired from five private owners - a key milestone in enabling a more frequent service on the RB 75 in future. The half-hourly service would be a valuable addition, especially for commuters in the southern district of Osnabrück.

The increased frequency can only be realised if trains can cross at Westbarthausen. The construction of a second track is therefore essential. With the successful acquisition of the land by the town of Borgholzhausen, the conditions for this have now been created. District Administrator Anna Kebschull emphasised the importance of the progress: "The project in Westbarthausen takes us a big step forward in terms of fast and reliable rail transport in the Osnabrück region. The half-hourly service is an important goal in making rail transport more attractive and advancing the transport transition."

The district of Osnabrück and Verkehrsgesellschaft Landkreis Osnabrück (VLO) have been working for years to implement the half-hourly service on the Osnabrück-Halle line. Especially in the course of the 20th anniversary of the reactivation of the Dissen-Osnabrück railway line, the project was further intensified. A key factor was the commitment of the town of Borgholzhausen: Mayor Dirk Speckmann led the land negotiations on behalf of the VLO, which were recently successfully concluded.

Once the legal planning steps have been completed, the town of Borgholzhausen will hand over the land to VLO at cost. Speckmann emphasises: "The improved connection for people in the southern district of Osnabrück and the northern district of Gütersloh strengthens local public transport and reduces private transport. We are pleased to be able to actively contribute to this."

District councillor Thomas Könnecker, responsible for mobility in the district of Osnabrück, praised the excellent cooperation: "I would like to thank everyone involved - especially Mayor Dirk Speckmann and his team. The project shows how much is possible when municipal partners and the district work together."

Now that the land has been successfully acquired, the next steps can follow: Planning and approval of a second track, an additional platform and the necessary swivelling of Westbarthauser Straße. Johannes Bartelt, spokesman for the Haller Willem e.V. initiative, believes that the vision of a continuous half-hourly service is now more tangible than ever and thanks the town of Borgholzhausen, the district and VLO for their commitment.

Caption: On the road to success: Dirk Speckmann (Mayor of Borgholzhausen), District Administrator Anna Kebschll, Jürgen Werner (VLO), District Councillor Thomas Könnecker, Johannes Bartelt (Haller Willem initiative) and Elke Hartmann (City of Borgholzhausen) are delighted with the future half-hourly service on the Haller Willem (from left).

Photo: © Henning Müller-Detert/LK Osnabrück