INTRO: The Portuguese infrastructure authority is developing a charging structure this year as it works to complete major projects and define the ground rules for future investment. Refer President Dr Manuel Frasquilho outlined the challenges ahead to Robert Preston

BYLINE: Dr Manuel Frasquilho

President

Refer

ON JANUARY 1 1999 Refer will take over the day-to-day management of railway infrastructure and move to introduce an access charging regime before the end of the year. This is closely allied to the Portuguese government’s decision to implement fully European Union Directive 91/440. As a result, it expects the national network to be used in time by a variety of operators, and it plans to appoint a rail regulator to watch over the new market.

Crucial to the success or failure of the horizontally-separated railway will be the charging regime adopted and the framework established for future investment. Rede Ferrovi

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