Railway policy news – Page 28
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NewsPandemic brings ‘bleak’ first quarter for European railways
EUROPE: The coronavirus pandemic continues to have a heavy impact across the rail sector, according to the Community of European Railway & Infrastructure Companies’ Covid Impact Tracker.
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NewsRegulations agreed for Luxembourg Protocol rolling stock registry
INTERNATIONAL: Draft regulations have been approved outlining the operation of the international rolling stock registry that is being established under the Luxembourg Protocol to the Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment. The regulations have been drawn up by a Preparatory Commission which includes ...
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NewsProvence – Côte d’Azur upgrade funding agreed
FRANCE: The government has agreed a €3∙5bn funding package to launch the first two phases of the long-planned upgrade of the route along the Mediterranean coast between Marseille and Nice, including sections of new line.
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NewsAccess charge reductions fairer than direct support, says ERFA
Duisburg (Photo: DB). EUROPE: The European Rail Freight Association has reiterated its belief that reducing track access charges would be the best way of supporting the rail freight sector through the pandemic in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner, rather than providing direct support for individual operators. ...
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NewsSnälltåget will not bid for Stockholm – Brussels night train contract
EUROPE: Open access operator Snälltåget has decided not to bid for the contract to operate the Swedish government’s proposed overnight service between Stockholm, Malmö, Hamburg, Köln and Brussels.
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Metro Report InternationalUS supports Brazilian urban networks
INTERNATIONAL: Brazil’s National Association of Passenger Rail Operators, ANPTrilhos has signed a technical co-operation agreement with the American Public Transportation Association, paving the way for the two organisations to exchange information and experience. Using a videoconference link, Executive Director of ANPTrilhos Roberta Marchesi ...
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NewsCross-border Irish rail review to study sustainable expansion
EUROPE: A Strategic Rail Review is to be commissioned to examine the potential for enhancing and expanding the island of Ireland’s rail networks, the republic’s Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and Northern Ireland’s Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon have announced. The ‘all-island’ review will ...
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NewsRule change calls SNCF Réseau investment into question
FRANCE: Management independence and business productivity at infrastructure manager SNCF Réseau are in jeopardy, according to President & Director General Luc Lallemand. Describing a government decision to consolidate SNCF Réseau’s debts into the state accounts as ‘catastrophic’, Lallemand warned that the infrastructure manager would ...
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NewsWorksite safety in spotlight after fatal collision
TAIWAN: Investigations have started into the management of engineering work following a fatal collision on Taiwan Railway Administration’s East Coast line north of Hualien on the morning of April 2.
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NewsInternational rail travel revival endorsed by European stakeholders
EUROPE: Stakeholders from across the rail sector have endorsed political proposals for the revitalisation and expansion of international passenger services, and committed to assist with future development to make rail ‘the preferred mode’ for international travel.
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NewsYear of Rail must focus on modal shift
EUROPE: ‘We need to have a medium and long-term vision for rail’, emphasised Portugal’s Minister for Infrastructure & Housing Pedro Nuno Santos on March 29, officially launching the European Union Year of Rail with a virtual conference hosted from Lisboa.
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Metro Report InternationalTransport security changes after social justice concerns
USA: San Diego Metropolitan Transit System has made changes to its security procedures in response to national concerns about law enforcement. ‘The significant social justice issues involving law enforcement all over the country have made us even more aware of how we want to engage with ...
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NewsItalian support packages approved
ITALY: Two packages of Italian government support provided to the rail sector during the coronavirus crisis have been approved by the European Commission under EU state aid rules. One was a €270m measure to reduce track access costs for freight and commercial passenger operators between March ...
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NewsTurkey extends rail subsidies to the end of 2023
TURKEY: Parliament has passed legislation extending state support for infrastructure manager TCDD and national train operator TCDD Taşımcılık until at least the end of 2023, with a clause allowing the President to extend subsidies for up to a further 10 years without recourse to parliament. The ...
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Rail Business UKScottish Government to take over ScotRail in March 2022
UK: The ScotRail franchise is to be taken over by the Scottish Government on the expiry of the current contract with Abellio in March 2022, Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has confirmed. Services are to be operated by an arm’s length Operator of Last Resort, wholly owned ...
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NewsSGR operating contract to be terminated
KENYA: The government has given notice that it intend to transfer control of operations on the country’s standard-gauge railway to Kenya Railway Corp from May 2022.
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NewsAAR proposes transport decarbonisation initiatives
USA: The Association of American Railroads has outlined a series of policy proposals aimed at leveraging the improved environmental performance of rail freight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector, ‘safely and effectively combatting climate change’.
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NewsImproving access to rail to get freight off the roads
GERMANY: A package of measures to improve access to the rail network and incentivise companies to switch freight from lorries to more environmentally-friendly trains has come into effect this month. The initiative is designed to support the Ministry of Transport & Digital Infrastructure’s aim of increasing ...
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NewsGrand Est concession attracts ‘good response’
FRANCE: ‘Between four and 10’ companies or consortia have prequalified for a concession to operate a group of branch lines in the Grand Est region, according to the region’s Vice-President responsible for Transport David Valence.
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NewsLithuania and Poland told to comply with EU railway rules
EUROPE: The European Commission is undertaking infringement procedures against Lithuania and Poland regarding compliance with two directives affecting railway matters. On February 18 the Commission sent Lithuania a letter of formal notice regarding the incorrect transposition and implementation of the single European railway area rules in ...