Vieregg-Rössler GmbH Innovative Verkehrsplanung

Vieregg-Rössler GmbH Innovative Verkehrsplanung is a Munich-based transport planning and consulting firm founded in 1991. It was led from 1991 to 2013 by Martin Vieregg and Karlheinz Rößler; since then Martin Vieregg has been the sole managing director. The firm works with additional freelance staff on a project-by-project basis. Martin Vieregg is a trained business economist who earned his doctorate in 1995 on the topic of efficiency improvement in long-distance rail passenger transport. Karlheinz Rößler is a qualified psychologist, a member of ProBahn and a former staff member of the Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD). The consultancy became widely known through commissioned studies on the second S-Bahn trunk line in Munich, the Transrapid in Munich and Stuttgart 21. Its thematic focus areas are international rail transport, long-distance rail passenger transport and Munich regional transport. The firm has produced numerous studies on the connection of Munich Airport to the city centre, including work on a possible Transrapid link and an alternative express S-Bahn. On behalf of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen it produced three expert reports between 2002 and 2007 on the feasibility, risks and costs of the Transrapid project; the 2007 report predicted construction costs of 3 to 4 billion euros, against 1.85 billion euros in the planning documents. After the cost estimate was revised upward to 3.4 billion euros, the project was cancelled on 26 March 2008. Vieregg-Rössler has also received multiple commissions to assess expansion measures and overall analyses of the Munich S-Bahn network, including studies in 1994 and 1996 on improving the S-Bahn line to Freising, a 2003 proposal for connecting Fröttmaning and Schwabing via a "North Tunnel" or dual-system trains, and an assessment between 2003 and 2005 of the planned second trunk line tunnel versus an alternative route via the so-called South Ring. In January 2015 the office presented the results of a new study on the second trunk line commissioned by the Bürgerinitiative Haidhausen, arguing that longer walking distances due to the underground alignment would extend total travel time by up to seven minutes and push the benefit-cost ratio below the economically viable threshold of 1.0; the Bavarian transport ministry saw no reason for a reassessment, citing its own 2011 study with a ratio of 1.23. On behalf of the tunnel opposition group Alliance for Nature, Vieregg-Rössler produced an expert report on the Semmering Base Tunnel, arguing that the tunnel had no macroeconomic benefit; the Austrian Federal Administrative Court found, based on a statement by Brigitta Riebesmeier, that "the Vieregg-Rössler statement is scientifically deficient." In the context of Stuttgart 21 and the Wendlingen–Ulm new line, Vieregg-Rössler produced several statements, including a 1992 review and optimisation of route variants, a 2000 proposal for a Transrapid-based maglev from Stuttgart to Tübingen at 12-minute intervals costing 1.2 billion Deutschmarks for the 48.5 km route, a 2006 study on savings potential in major rail projects commissioned by Karl-Dieter Bodack, and a 2010 estimate of total project costs commissioned by Bündnis 90/Die Grünen. A common misnomer is to call Vieregg-Rössler an "Ingenieurbüro" (engineering office). Although the firm commissions engineers on a project basis, its directors are not engineers themselves and under Art. 2 Para. 2 of the Bavarian Engineering Act may not trade as an engineering office. Vieregg-Rössler describes itself as a consulting firm and presents itself as such publicly.

Vieregg-Rössler GmbH Innovative Verkehrsplanung was founded in 1991 in Munich as a transport consulting office. It was led from 1991 to 2013 by Martin Vieregg and Karlheinz Rößler. Martin Vieregg is a trained business economist who received his doctorate in 1995 with a thesis on efficiency improvement in long-distance rail passenger transport. Karlheinz Rößler is a qualified psychologist, a member of ProBahn and a former employee of the Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD). Since 2013 Martin Vieregg has been the sole managing director, and the firm engages additional freelance staff on a project basis. The consultancy gained public recognition primarily through commissioned studies on the second S-Bahn trunk line in Munich, the Transrapid in Munich and Stuttgart 21. Its work focuses on international rail transport, long-distance rail passenger transport and Munich regional transport. In the context of connecting Munich Airport to the city centre, Vieregg-Rössler produced several studies on a possible Transrapid link and on an alternative express S-Bahn. On behalf of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen it prepared three expert reports between 2002 and 2007 on the feasibility, risks and costs of the Transrapid project. The 2007 report became particularly well known for predicting construction costs of 3 to 4 billion euros, whereas the planning documents had allocated only 1.85 billion euros. The cost estimate was revised upward during the year and ultimately reached 3.4 billion euros, after which the project was cancelled on 26 March 2008. On behalf of the municipalities of Unterschleißheim, Oberschleißheim, Eching and Neufahrn, Vieregg-Rössler presented a rail-based alternative concept in 2003, building on concepts from 1997 and 1998 prepared for Flughafen GmbH München. It also produced concepts for the city of Freising, the IHK Schwaben and MdL Christine Kamm (B'90/Grüne) to better connect Freising, eastern Bavaria and Augsburg to the airport. Regarding the Munich S-Bahn, Vieregg-Rössler received several commissions to assess expansion measures and overall analyses of the network. In 1994 and 1996 it examined improvements to the S-Bahn line to Freising on behalf of the city of Unterschleißheim. In 2003 it studied the connection of Fröttmaning and Schwabing to the S-Bahn network via a "North Tunnel" or dual-system trains on behalf of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft. Between 2003 and 2005 it assessed the planned second trunk line tunnel versus an alternative route via the so-called South Ring on behalf of Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and the Bürgerinitiative S-Bahn-Tunnel Haidhausen. In January 2015 the office presented the results of a new study on the second trunk line commissioned by the Bürgerinitiative Haidhausen, concluding that longer walking distances due to the underground alignment would extend total travel time by up to seven minutes and reduce the benefit-cost ratio below the economically viable threshold of 1.0. The Bavarian transport ministry saw no reason for reassessment, referring to its own 2011 study with a ratio of 1.23. On behalf of the tunnel opposition group Alliance for Nature, Vieregg-Rössler produced an expert report on the Semmering Base Tunnel, which is planned as part of the Baltic-Adriatic Axis to bypass the Semmering Railway. In the report submitted by Alliance for Nature in a complaint against the tunnel, Vieregg-Rössler stated that the tunnel had no macroeconomic benefit. Based on a statement by Brigitta Riebesmeier, the Austrian Federal Administrative Court found that "the Vieregg-Rössler statement is scientifically deficient." In the course of planning for Stuttgart 21 and the Wendlingen–Ulm new line, Vieregg-Rössler produced several statements. One of the first commissions, in 1992, came from the Ingenieur-Geologisches Institut Niedermeyer for a review and optimisation of variants for the new lines. In 2000, for the airport connection, Vieregg-Rössler proposed a Transrapid-based maglev running at 12-minute intervals from Stuttgart to Tübingen, to make "a decisive contribution to the realisation of 'Stuttgart 21'." For the 48.5-kilometre route, Vieregg-Rössler estimated costs of 1.2 billion Deutschmarks. Further contributions included a 2006 study on savings potential in major rail projects commissioned by Karl-Dieter Bodack and a 2010 estimate of total project costs commissioned by Bündnis 90/Die Grünen. A frequently occurring error is to describe Vieregg-Rössler as an "Ingenieurbüro" (engineering office). Although the firm commissions engineers on a project basis, its directors are not engineers themselves and under Art. 2 Para. 2 of the Bavarian Engineering Act may not trade as an engineering office. Vieregg-Rössler understands itself as a consulting firm and presents itself as such publicly.

• 2015

  New study on the second S-Bahn trunk line presented, commissioned by Bürgerinitiative Haidhausen.

• 2013

  Martin Vieregg becomes sole managing director; Karlheinz Rößler leaves management.

• 2010

  Estimate of total Stuttgart 21 project costs commissioned by Bündnis 90/Die Grünen.

• 2008

  Munich Transrapid project cancelled on 26 March after cost estimate rose to 3.4 billion euros.

• 2007

  Expert report predicting Transrapid construction costs of 3–4 billion euros.

• 2006

  Study on savings potential in major rail projects commissioned by Karl-Dieter Bodack.

• 2003

  Rail-based alternative concept for Munich Airport connection presented; studies on North Tunnel and second trunk line begin.

• 2002

  First of three expert reports on the Munich Transrapid commissioned by Bündnis 90/Die Grünen.

• 2000

  Proposal for a Transrapid-based maglev from Stuttgart to Tübingen at 12-minute intervals, estimated at 1.2 billion Deutschmarks.

• 1996

  Further study on the S-Bahn line to Freising.

• 1995

  Martin Vieregg receives doctorate on efficiency improvement in long-distance rail passenger transport.

• 1994

  Study on improving the S-Bahn line to Freising on behalf of the city of Unterschleißheim.

• 1992

  First commission related to Stuttgart 21: review and optimisation of variants for new lines by Ingenieur-Geologisches Institut Niedermeyer.

• 1991

  Vieregg-Rössler GmbH Innovative Verkehrsplanung founded in Munich by Martin Vieregg and Karlheinz Rößler.

Independent transport planning consultancy specialising in critical assessment of major rail infrastructure projects, often commissioned by citizen initiatives, environmental groups and political parties.

• Expert report on Munich Transrapid (2007)

  Predicted construction costs of 3–4 billion euros, contributing to the project's cancellation.

• Study on second S-Bahn trunk line (2015)

  Argued that longer walking distances would reduce the benefit-cost ratio below 1.0.

• Semmering Base Tunnel expert report

  Concluded no macroeconomic benefit; later criticised by Austrian Federal Administrative Court.

• Stuttgart–Tübingen maglev proposal (2000)

  Transrapid-based line at 12-minute intervals, estimated at 1.2 billion Deutschmarks.

1. 1Homepage der VIEREGG-RÖSSLER GmbH - VIEREGG-RÖSSLER GmbH Innovative Verkehrsberatungvr-transport.de
2. 2Vieregg-Rösslerwikidata.org
3. 3Vieregg-Rösslerde.wikipedia.org