HOCHBAHN Annual Report 2015

We link up Hamburg | Management | Management Report | Annual Financial Statements | Further Information
3. REPORT ON SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
As of 1 February 2016, Henrik Falk took over as Chairman of the Management Board
from Günter Elste, who retired after twenty years in this function. No further particular
events occurred subsequent to the balance sheet date which might influence the view of
the situation of the company as it is presented in the Management Report.
4. FORECAST, RISK AND OPPORTUNITIES REPORT
4.1 Forecast report
U4 line extension
The extension of the U4 U-Bahn line is needed against the background of the planned
and ongoing building development in the HafenCity East. The main component here is
an extension to the route of 1.3 kilometres. This includes a turning loop and sidings in
the immediate vicinity of the existing station as well as an additional station at Elbbrücken
(the bridges over the Elbe), where passengers can change to the rapid transit
network. The overall budget for the measure is € 178.2 million, which will be covered in
its entirety by a grant from the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and/or by funds
made available by the Federal Government under the Local Authority Public Transport
Finance Law (GVFG – Gemeindeverkehrsfinanzierungsgesetz).
The major part of the construction work on the turning loop and sidings took place in 2015.
With the exception of final installation work in 2016, this means that the plant is now completed.
Operations could commence at the beginning of the year 2016/2017. Work on
building the tunnel and trough section is proceeding according to plan. The shell construction
on both the tunnel and trough section and the station at Elbbrücken was carried out at
the beginning of the year 2015/2016. Shell construction work at Elbbrücken station is due
to be completed in mid-2016 and on the tunnel and trough section in mid-2017. The subsequent
erection of the station roof with pedestrian bridges and the track crossing inside
the station were commissioned in November 2015. The project is proceeding within budget
and on schedule. Services on this section of the U4 are due to begin at the end of 2018.
30
Barrier-free conversion of U-Bahn stations
It is a particular concern of the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and of
the Hamburger Hochbahn AG to facilitate access to local public transport for persons
who are impaired in their mobility. The main elements in enabling barrier-free access are
the integration of lift facilities, raising the level of platforms and equipping the stations
with orientation aids for visually impaired persons. The entire programme for the conversion
of stations for barrier-free access in the Hamburg metropolitan area is completely
funded by grants from the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. Financing for the
stations in Schleswig-Holstein is enabled by funding from the federal state government
of Schleswig-Holstein, the municipal authorities concerned and the rural district council
of Stormarn. In Stage 1 of the accelerated programme, a total of 21 stations were to be
converted to allow barrier-free access by the end of 2015.