Railway policy news – Page 25
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Rail Business UKFranchising faces an uncertain future as ‘the clock is ticking’ on emergency agreement
UK: The only certainty in the UK rail sector at the moment is that the future is uncertain, particularly as the government’s long-term message is still to avoid using public transport if at all possible, whilst encouraging people to return to work. The Department for Transport’s Emergency ...
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NewsDB set for emergency funding package as losses mount
GERMANY: Emergency support to help Deutsche Bahn weather the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is likely to come in the form of another equity injection, according to proposals being drawn up by the federal government ahead of a DB board meeting on May 15. Research ...
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Rail Business UKDemand to be managed down as part of train service ramp-up strategy
UK: With the Department for Transport expecting passenger services to step up to a ‘Saturday service’ level from May 18, train operators have warned that social distancing measures mean that capacity across the network will continue to be very limited. Between 65% and 80% of normal weekday ...
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NewsAustralian industry group will prepare for Advanced Train Management System roll-out
AUSTRALIA: A cross-industry oversight group is being established to assist with the introduction of the Advanced Train Management System on the 1 435 mm gauge interstate freight rail network, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Development Michael McCormack announced on May 11.
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NewsGolmud – Korla railway forges new link through western China
CHINA: Revenue services are expected to start running at the end of June on the Qinghai section of the 1 214 km Golmud – Korla railway, following the completion of construction work at the end of April.
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Rail Business UKDfT preparing for future passenger franchise options
UK: Having temporarily suspended its franchise agreements with passenger train operators, the Department for Transport is currently considering its options for what may follow the Emergency Measures Agreements announced on March 23.
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NewsTrains prioritised over planes in Air France rescue deal
FRANCE: Modal shift from plane to train has been made a condition of a state aid package which the government is offering to Air France-KLM. According to Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, a €7bn support package for the Air France business is to be made conditional on ...
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NewsUIC shares ways to restore confidence in rail travel
COVID-19: The International Union of Railways has published a summary of potential steps that could be adopted to increase customer confidence in rail transport following the coronavirus pandemic.
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NewsTrafikverket proposes Malmö – Brussels overnight service
EUROPE: Trafikverket has recommended a Malmö – Köln - Brussels overnight train as the best option for increasing international rail travel to and from Sweden, although it has identified a number of hurdles that must be overcome.
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NewsBudapest – Beograd route modernisation funding agreed
HUNGARY: The loan agreement with China’s EximBank to fund the reconstruction and modernisation of the Hungarian section of the Budapest – Beograd corridor was finally signed on April 24.
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NewsRail investment is vital to post-Covid-19 recovery, say associations
EUROPE: Investment to ‘make rail the core element of the European transport system’ should be an intrinsic part of the EU’s plans for stimulating economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to rail sector associations CER and UNIFE.
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NewsWestbahn and ÖBB awarded public service contracts to secure operations during the pandemic
AUSTRIA: Both Austrian Federal Railways and open access competitor Westbahn have been awarded emergency public service obligation contracts to ensure the continued operation of Wien – Salzburg trains during the coronavirus pandemic, in a move which the ALLRAIL association of new market entrants said should provide a ...
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Metro Report InternationalMaking transport more sustainable after the coronavirus
EUROPE: Emphasising that ‘the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic cannot simply be a return to business as usual’, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe has published guidance for policy makers aiming to reduce car use in urban areas. Developed under the Transport Health & Environment Pan-European ...
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NewsEurasian freight market is still developing
ANALYSIS: Up to 2 million TEU could be moving by rail across the Eurasian landbridge corridors by 2030, according to a study commissioned by the International Union of Railways.
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NewsAmtrak awarded $1bn from coronavirus relief package
USA: The Federal Railroad Administration is making available more than $1bn to support Amtrak operations during the coronavirus pandemic, under the terms of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security Act approved by the US Congress on March 27.
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NewsALLRAIL calls for action to save new passenger train operators
EUROPE: The coronavirus pandemic is ‘annihilating’ the business cases of many independent passenger operators, and without urgent action the first bankruptcies could be seen this month, the ALLRAIL association of new entrants to the rail market has warned. On April 9 ALLRAIL said the ‘understandable’ decision to ...
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NewsPaulista concession extension to be signed
BRAZIL: Transport Minister Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas has authorised the national land transportation agency ANTT to approve a 30-year extension of Rumo Logística’s concession to manage and operate the Paulista network.
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NewsUBS predicts post-pandemic shift from air to high speed rail
INTERNATIONAL: A report published by UBS Research suggests that many travellers will switch from air to high speed rail in the post Covid-19 period.
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NewsSwiss Combi’s purchase of SBB Cargo stake approved
Swiss Combi’s purchase of a 35% stake in SBB Cargo AG has been approved by the country’s Competition Commission SWITZERLAND: Swiss Combi’s purchase of a 35% stake in SBB Cargo AG was approved by the country’s Competition Commission on April 2. The transaction for an undisclosed sum ...
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Rail Business UKDfT sets out steps to a transport decarbonisation plan
UK: The Department for Transport has published Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge, a policy paper explaining out how it intends to develop a plan to meet the government’s target of net zero transport emissions by 2050. The plan is scheduled to be published later this year. The ...