The Swiss Project Cargo sous terrain Receives Its Own Committee

In the newly launched committee ‘Future Switzerland with Cargo sous terrain’ (CST), personalities from politics, business, and science support the generational project CST. This underscores the broad support for the privately funded initiative. It shapes logistics as part of daily life. CST will begin the construction approval phase in early 2021, starting earlier than originally planned and in parallel with the legislative discussions in Parliament. Early funds from Swiss investors enable this acceleration.

(Basel) CST receives broad support from various political camps as well as from business, science, associations, and organizations with the launch of the committee ‘Future Switzerland with Cargo sous terrain’. This commitment is crucial for CST regarding the Federal Act on Underground Freight Transport (UGüTG), which establishes the legal framework for the construction and operation of the generational project. The Federal Council submitted this law to Parliament in October. CST expects discussions in the Council of States in spring 2021.

Comparable to the Construction of the Gotthard

‘Cargo sous terrain manages to combine economic efficiency with significant environmental benefits,’ says green-liberal National Councilor Katja Christ, a member of the committee. FDP Councilor and President of Bauenschweiz Hans Wicki sums up: ‘The Cargo sous terrain project is comparable to the construction of the Gotthard tunnel in the last century and will one day be regarded as a Swiss pioneering achievement.’ For SP National Councilor Roger Nordmann, CST stands for ‘innovation, efficiency, and environmental advantages,’ while the project secures the high quality of life for the Swiss population.

Funds Flowing Earlier Than Planned

CST can begin the next stage towards realization earlier than planned. The construction approval phase will start thanks to early funds from CST investors as early as the beginning of 2021, giving the project further momentum. Originally, the start of the construction approval phase was scheduled for 2022, after the UGüTG came into force.

The broad support from the consultation process and the positive signals from politics regarding the parliamentary discussions have prompted investors to release funds now to accelerate the work. This includes deepening the planning to construction approval readiness, developing city logistics, and technical preparations in various areas. Thanks to binding investment commitments, the entire project is financed up to the groundbreaking of the first section Härkingen-Zurich in 2026. Over CHF 100 million is available for this purpose.

Broad Composition of the Committee

The broad composition of the committee and the support of around 70 investors reflect the fundamental idea of CST: innovation through collaboration. The exclusively privately funded generational project, which is enabled by two-thirds Swiss funders, unites large and small companies from the transport, logistics, retail, telecom, insurance, finance, industry, IT, and energy sectors. In the support committee, alongside representatives of the largest shareholder companies of CST, there are also other personalities from business and society. Monika Rühl from economiesuisse describes CST as ‘a project in the best tradition of Swiss business: private initiative and funds together with innovative power enable extraordinary achievements.’ Environmental pioneer Bertrand Piccard from Solar Impulse praises CST’s performance as a desperately needed example that environmental protection can also be financially rewarding.

 Better Quality of Life Through Connected Logistics

As a comprehensive logistics system, CST serves both the trend towards small-scale and continuous freight transport and intelligent, connected solutions in the mobility sector, according to the academic experts in the committee. Furthermore, CST holds enormous potential for quality of life, especially in urban areas, as emphasized by Bern’s city president Alec von Graffenried: ‘With efficient bundling of goods flows, Cargo sous terrain can reduce traffic, emissions, and noise in our cities.’ And architect Pierre de Meuron sees CST as ‘a system developed by the economy for the economy, but also for people and their living environment.’

The Committee ‘Future Switzerland with CST’ is composed of the following members

Katja Christ, National Councilor Basel-Stadt (GLP), lawyer; Roberto Cirillo, CEO Swiss Post; Pierre de Meuron, Herzog & de Meuron; Josef Dittli, Councilor Uri (FDP) & President of the Association of Freight Forwarding Industry (VAP); Olivier Français, Councilor Vaud (FDP); Prof. Dr. Karolin Frankenberger, Institute for Management & Strategy, Academic Director Executive MBA HSG; Peter Galliker, Managing Director Galliker Transport AG; Dr. Philipp Gmür, CEO Helvetia Group; Prof. Dr. Andreas Herrmann, Professor at the Institute for Customer Insight HSG; Dieter Kläy, Cantonal Councilor Zurich (FDP), Head of the Swiss Trade Association; Hansueli Loosli, Chairman of the Board Swisscom & Coop; Ludovica Molo, architect; Roger Nordmann, National Councilor Vaud (SP); Prof. Dr. Bertrand Piccard, initiator and president of the Solar Impulse Foundation; Michèle Rodoni, CEO Mobiliar (from 01.01.2021); Monika Rühl, Chair of the Executive Board of economiesuisse; Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter, National Councilor Basel-Landschaft (CVP), President of the Chamber of Commerce of both Basels; Martin Scholl, Zürcher Kantonalbank, Chairman of the General Management; Alec von Graffenried, Mayor of Bern (Green Free List); Hans Wicki, Councilor Nidwalden (FDP), President of Bauenschweiz

Photo: © Cargo sous Terrain

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