The Union of Croatian Railways Workers today warned of the alarming condition of the tracks and stable facilities of Croatian Railways (HŽ), which has led to a backlog in repairs on as much as 1500 kilometers of track, out of a total of 2700 kilometers that make up the length of the railway network.
On these tracks, traffic is conducted at reduced speeds and axle loads, which increasingly diminishes the competitiveness of railway carriers, the union emphasizes in a statement. HŽ Infrastruktura should renew about 45 kilometers of track annually, but due to a lack of investment funds and irrational spending of state resources, only five to 10 kilometers of repairs are carried out each year. Consequently, companies engaged in the construction and repair of stable facilities are brought to the brink of collapse – for Remont and maintenance of tracks, Pružne građevine, POSIT, and PRO-REG, an annual repair of 45 kilometers would represent the optimum for them to operate positively, with the possibility of equipping with railway machinery and other equipment. Therefore, the union demands that HŽ Infrastruktura allocate funds for the procurement of rails, sleepers, ballast, and other materials, and the mentioned companies have the knowledge and workers who will carry out every work task without additional costs.
