POLICY & LEGISLATION
02 Jul 2008 | KiwiRail launch marks end of 'failed' privatisation
NEW ZEALAND: Prime Minister Helen Clark unveiled KiwiRail as the name for the rail and ferry operations which were transferred from Toll New Zealand into government ownership on July 1. Services will initially be unchanged, with KiwiRail controlled by an establishment board chaired by former Prime More...
24 Jun 2008 | Bulgaria commissions strategic transport study
BULGARIA: The Ministry of Transport has appointed consultancy Faber Maunsell to produce a national multi-modal transport masterplan. Much of Bulgaria's transport infrastructure is in a poor condition as a result of past underinvestment, but accession to the European Union in January 2007 has made More...
24 Jun 2008 | Working towards a sustainable future
ENVIRONMENT: Despite growing concerns about climate change and energy efficiency, imbalances in the pricing of different transport modes continue to distort the market across Europe. But CER Chairman Aad Veenman sees signs of progress at last. More...
12 Jun 2008 | Regional conflict could open up inter-city sector
NETHERLANDS: The European Parliament may have backed away from proposals to liberalise the operation of domestic passenger trains before 2017, as proposed in the Third Railway Package, but private-sector concessionaires may try to force the pace of change, starting with a forthcoming legal challenge More...
09 Jun 2008 | Railway stabilisation starts
DR CONGO: A programme to 'stabilise' the operations of national railway SNCC is due to start on June 16, when Belgian concessionaire Vecturis begins a two-year contract to manage the business and put in place measures to prevent further 'technical and operational degradation'. The move follows an i More...
05 Jun 2008 | Asian training centre inaugurated
SOUTH KOREA: The International Union of Railways officially inaugurated its training centre for the Asia region, during the recent statutory meetings in Seoul. More...
04 Jun 2008 | DB restructures in run-up to sale
GERMANY: Details of Deutsche Bahn's future structure were agreed at an extraordinary meeting of the company's supervisory board held on May 15. To permit sale to the private sector of an initial 24·9% stake, the transport businesses are being moved into DB Mobility Logistics AG (below), which alrea More...
01 Jun 2008 | New Zealand nationalises
NEW ZEALAND: The government is to buy the New Zealand rail and ferry business of Toll Holdings, Prime Minister Helen Clark and Finance Minister Michael Cullen confirmed on May 5. The price had been a sticking point in negotiations (RG 4.08 p222), but has been agreed at NZ$665m to be settled by June More...
30 May 2008 | Commission clarifies rules on state aid
EUROPE: The European Commission adopted guidelines clarifying the rules on state aid for railways on April 30. Drawn up to replace inconsistent national 'custom and practice', the guidelines set out how the particular requirements of the rail sector, especially in the most recent EU members, mean th More...
29 May 2008 | Polish regions to own local services
POLAND: Ownership of the state railway's regional passenger business PKP PR is to be transferred from the national to provincial governments under a restructuring programme which was approved by parliament on May 15. Railway holding company PKP SA is to be paid 2·16bn zloty from the state budget t More...
