Railway policy news – Page 42
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NewsGovernment plans €86bn spend to renew German network
GERMANY: A 54% increase in spending on infrastructure renewals will see €86bn invested in the national rail network over the next decade, Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer announced on July 26. Unveiling a 10-year plan for 2020-29 which he described as ‘the biggest railway modernisation programme’ in Germany's history, Scheuer ...
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NewsHauts-de-France keen to reopen Abbeville – Le Tréport
FRANCE: Plans are in hand to run competitively tendered passenger services over the Abbeville – Le Tréport line in northern France that was closed in May 2018. In a corrigendum published on July 19 to an April notice in the Official Journal of the European Union the region specified ...
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NewsEyre grain lines are not closed, insists GWA
AUSTRALIA: Unequal treatment of road and rail was a major factor behind the decision to suspend services on the 1 067 mm gauge network in South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula, according to operator Genesee & Wyoming Australia. The 700 km network was mothballed at the end of May after GWA’s only ...
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NewsNew lines go ahead as FS infrastructure spending approved
ITALY: A €28bn package of funding for FS Group infrastructure spending was formally approved by the government’s Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning on July 24, the state railway group has confirmed. CIPE has also approved updates to the programme contracts between the Ministry of Infrastructure & Transport and the ...
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NewsMinimum access rights include station platforms, court rules
AUSTRIA: The use of station platforms is included within the ‘minimum access package’ which EU Directive 2012/34 requires infrastructure managers to make available to all train operators, the European Court of Justice has ruled. This means that charges for the use of platforms must not exceed the cost that ...
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NewsNorfolk Southern starts TOP 21 roll-out
USA: Norfolk Southern has successfully rolled out the first phase of its Thoroughbred Operating Plan 21, covering its wagonload and automotive traffic, the railway confirmed on July 22. Mirroring the principles of the Precision Scheduled Railroading concept adopted by other Class Is, TOP21 is designed to improve system velocity ...
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NewsElectrification, batteries and hydrogen trains should replace DMUs, says study
GERMANY: Electrification, battery power and fuel cells are the most sensible options for replacing diesel multiple-units, according to an environmental and value-for-money study undertaken by the Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies. The Alternatives to DMUs in Rail Passenger Transport study was undertaken by VDE with ...
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NewsNational control centre approved
IRELAND: The construction of a €135m National Train Control Centre to manage the entire Iarnród Éireann network was approved by the Irish government on July 17. The new centre is to be delivered by IÉ, with government funding provided through the National Transport Authority as part of Project Ireland ...
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Rail Business UK
Industry comments on Williams Rail Review
UK: Organisations from across the rail sector have responded to Keith Williams’ speech in Bradford on July 16 during which he provided an update on the strategic review of the rail sector which he is undertaking for the government. Rail Delivery Group ‘Businesses, communities and passengers across the country ...
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NewsStudy considers how to assess ‘green’ investment in rail
EUROPE: The European Commission has published a study into criteria used to classify railway assets and activities as environmentally sustainable, and to provide insights into potential ‘greenwashing’. This is intended to facilitate the rail sector’s access to ‘green’ bonds, which the Commission believes could be used to finance a significant ...
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Rail Business UKWilliams reiterates call for UK franchising changes
UK: Greater accountability and a clear customer focus are the principal requirements for reform of the UK rail sector, according to Keith Williams, the independent chairman of the rail review established by Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling in the wake of the May 2018 timetable change debacle. ...
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NewsStudy considers how to assess ‘green’ investment in rail
EUROPE: The European Commission has published a study into criteria used to classify railway assets and activities as environmentally sustainable, and to provide insights into potential ‘greenwashing’. This is intended to facilitate the rail sector’s access to ‘green’ bonds, which the Commission believes could be used to finance a ...
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Metro Report InternationalFurther Xi’an metro network development approved
CHINA: The National Development & Reform Commission has approved the third phase of the Xi’an metro plan. The planned projects would add 150 km to the network, taking the total to 423 km and 12 lines. The third phase of Line 1 would extend the route westwards ...
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Metro Report InternationalBahrain metro consultancy shortlist
BAHRAIN: The Ministry of Transportation & Telecommunication has shortlisted three bidders to provide consultancy services for the first phase of the country’s planned metro network. Al Zayani Engineering, KPMG and PwC have been shortlisted for the transaction advisory contract. Bids were also submitted by Deloitte Professional Services, ...
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NewsBulgaria launches fleet renewal plan ahead of market liberalisation
test1 BULGARIA: National operator BDZ needs to focus on service quality, sustainability and long-term performance in order to ‘convince the public that it is developing in an upward trend’ and remain the state’s main passenger service provider when the market is liberalised in 2024, Minister of ...
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NewsSBB halts court battle with BLS
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways has asked the Federal Administrative Court to suspend its appeal lodged in July 2018 against the decision by the Federal Office of Transport to allocate two routes in the national long-distance passenger service concession to BLS. The Bern – Biel and Bern – Burgdorf – Olten ...
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Metro Report InternationalRio tram network threatened with suspension
BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro tram concessionaire VLT Carioca has said that it could cease operations of the city’s tram network if the municipality does not cover a shortfall in revenue caused by lower than expected ridership. According to the PPP concession awarded in 2013 to build the ...
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NewsERA issues its first vehicle authorisation
EUROPE: The EU Agency for Railways has issued its first vehicle authorisation, three weeks after becoming the European authorising entity for rail traffic on June 16. ERA said the authorisation covering conformity-to-type of 30 wagons for operation in multiple countries was an ‘historic step to break down barriers in Europe’. ...
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NewsOberösterreich railway investment programme agreed
AUSTRIA: The Land of Oberösterreich and Austrian Federal Railways have agreed an €725m programme of route modernisation, station upgrading and electrification works for 2019-30. This agreement includes the retention of all branch lines, and the roll-out of new singalling and safety systems. ÖBB is to retain ownership of all lines ...
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Metro Report InternationalUlsan tram plans announced
SOUTH KOREA: Ulsan Mayor Song Cheol-ho has announced plans for the construction of a four-line tram network in the city. Due to be built in two phases, the total cost is estimated at 1·3tr won. The first phase is due to be completed by 2027 and foresees ...