StUB: Initial course set for construction phase

On June 9, 52.4 percent of the citizens of Erlangen voted in favor of the extension of the Nuremberg tramway (Stadt-Umland-Bahn - StUB) through the city center to the train station and on to Herzogenaurach being built on the basis of the existing plans.

Parallel to the preparation of the planning approval procedure, in which the government of Middle Franconia must examine and approve the detailed plans for the StUB, the municipalities involved are also creating the legal basis for the transition to the construction phase.

As part of this process, the city council also approved an amendment to the administrative agreement of the Stadt-Umland-Bahn special-purpose association by a large majority. While the agreement provided for the possibility of a member of the association withdrawing until the start of the construction phase, the contracting parties have now committed to no longer agreeing to a withdrawal. The city councils in Nuremberg and Herzogenaurach must also approve the amended agreement for it to come into force (Photo: Zweckverbands Stadt-Umland-Bahn).

Dialogue, constructive cooperation and transparency remain the guiding principles

"In Erlangen, the citizens have twice spoken out clearly in favor of this project in referendums, and in Herzogenaurach and Nuremberg, the project is supported by a broad majority in the city councils. It is important for all municipalities involved, but also for the institutions and companies along the route, that planning security is created following this clear vote. We are now entering a phase of the project in which the withdrawal of one of the partners would result in major financial losses," says Lord Mayor Florian Janik, who is also Chairman of the Stadt-Umland-Bahn special-purpose association, explaining this step. "Dialogue, constructive cooperation and transparency will remain our guiding principles for the next steps," Janik continued.

Specifically, the city council has dealt extensively with the demands of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce on the Stadt-Umland-Bahn and adopted a "5-point plan for good interaction between the StUB and the economy". Among other things, this plan calls for

• comprehensive involvement of the business community in the further planning stages and
• close coordination during the construction phase

phase. The accessibility of the city center and its businesses for customers, employees, suppliers and tradespeople is of great importance. This applies to both the construction and operational phases of the StUB.

The timetable

For planning and construction, it envisages that the documents for the planning approval procedure will be submitted from 2025. Construction of the line at the "Am Wegfeld" stop in Nuremberg is scheduled to begin in mid-2028. The StUB line is then to be gradually put into operation from 2031.