Due to Gotthard’s closure: “Industry and trade will suffer”

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Nothing has been working in the Gotthard road tunnel since Sunday evening. Currently neither delivery truck drivers nor commuters or driving tourists can pass through the tunnel. The reason is the 25-meter-long crack that occurred on the ceiling of the tunnel. Pieces of concrete also broke off from the ceiling. The Gotthard bottleneck is already under pressure: travel on the tracks has been restricted since a freight train derailed in August.

The excitement is great. Bundestag Member Albert Rösti assured him on Monday afternoon: The Gotthard underground line for delivery trucks and cars should be reopened by the end of the week at the latest. Ticino breathes a sigh of relief; This is good news for the economy.

“There will definitely be impacts. But since the tunnel is only closed for a few days, these problems can be managed,” says Luca Albertoni (59) in an interview with Blick. He is the President of the Ticino Chamber of Commerce. But the chamber no longer calls a crisis team immediately because it is not a long-term closure. “If it had lasted longer than a few days, the situation would have been dramatic,” Albertoni continues.

Industry and commerce suffer

The Swiss Business Association (SGV) also sees the situation this way. Although the closure lasted shorter than expected, the president of the association and Ticino National Assembly Member Fabio Regazzi (61) is sure: “Industry and trade will be damaged. But also for the drivers.”

Suppliers who normally pass through Gotthard must now use the bypass. This takes more time and therefore costs more. In some cases, drivers are having to switch to smaller delivery vans, causing delays. Transporting goods from German-speaking Switzerland to Ticino or vice versa therefore takes longer than usual and then costs more.

For companies, a few days are still manageable. However, if the problem persists for a long time, German-speaking Swiss companies may prefer to look for a supplier on Gotthard’s side. Therefore, there are high hopes that the tube will be accessible again soon, as announced.

This situation makes us think about the trade union. “We need a plan B to be better prepared for such situations in the future,” says Regazzi. An accident in August, when a freight train derailed due to a faulty wheel, raised concerns at SGV.

More visitors to the Gotthard Pass

Gotthard’s collapse doesn’t seem to bother daytrippers much. “We normally don’t have as many guests during the week as we do today,” the nursing home in Gotthard Pass told Blick. The nursing home also has two restaurants. There were even more guests on Monday. The good weather and bank holiday in Zurich also helped.

Some are even happy that they finally managed to go through the transition. But not everyone has time to drink coffee at the bar or have lunch. “Stressed people drive by.” This likely includes many drivers who are currently on the road longer than usual.

Source :Blick