Railway policy news – Page 5
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Rail Business UKIndustry responds to UK rail reform bill consultation
Rail Business UK provides a round-up of responses to the start of consultation on the government’s rail reform bill
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NewsCommission says Dutch train operating contract award broke EU rules
NETHERLANDS: The European Commission has said the Netherlands failed to correctly apply EU rules on competitive tendering when it directly awarded state-owned incumbent NS a contract to operate passenger train services on the designated core rail network in 2025-33. On February 12 the Commission reported that ...
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NewsRail spending capped in cautious Indian budget
INDIA: Emphasising a continued focus on economic growth, the government has allocated Rs2·52tr for capital expenditure in the national rail network during the 2025-26 financial year starting on April 1. This is the same as the allocation for 2024-25, despite earlier expectations that gross budgetary support ...
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Metro Report InternationalBrazil: Urban rail projects battle local politics
Examples in Cuiabá and Canoas show how vulnerable Brazilian urban rail projects are to changes in local politics, as well as the temptation of alternative modes which are seen as less complex, even if the benefits are lower. Marcelo Benoit examines the two cases.
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NewsRolling stock owners call for action on rail’s ‘patchwork of increasingly expensive technologies’
EUROPE: The Association of European Rail Rolling stock Lessors has called for the more co-ordinated deployment of ERTMS, changes to subsidy policies and measures to ensure life-time support of vehicles
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In depthRegional Railways: A reversal of fortunes in Catalunya
Threatened with closure in the mid-1980s, Catalunya’s Lleida – La Pobla de Segur branch has been revitalised by the regional government over the past two decades. Targeted investment is paying off with steadily increasing ridership, reports Mike Bent.
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In depthComment: A glimpse over the horizon
As celebrations in Britain this year mark 200 years since the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, our Consultant Editor Murray Hughes reflects on his 50 years writing for Railway Gazette International and assesses where the rail sector might go in the coming half-century.
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NewsRegional passenger services in Grand Est stepped up further
FRANCE: The next stage of the Réseau Express Métropolitain Européen programme to increase local passenger services in the area around Strasbourg has been launched.
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Rail Business UKQuestions remain for the rail sector in English devolution plans
UK: The rail sector has welcomed the outline plans for local politicians to have greater control of passenger rail services which are set out in the government’s white paper on devolution in England, but questions remain about the future scope and structure.
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In depthComment: A waning appetite for competition
While the EU’s third and fourth railway packages sought to liberalise the passenger rail sector within the bloc and influence it beyond, the establishment of a competitive dynamic within the European market seems less assured than it has for some time, argues Executive Editor Nick Kingsley.
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NewsDB Cargo state aid approved
GERMANY: The European Commission has concluded that Germany’s provision of €1·9bn to support the national railway’s freight business DB Cargo is in line with EU state aid rules. Following a complaint from a competitor, the Commission opened an in-depth investigation in January 2022 looking at four ...
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Rail Business UKIntegrated transport strategy for England to tackle the ‘bin fires’ of policy
UK: A public call for ideas to inform the development of a Integrated National Transport Strategy for England was announced by the then-Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh on November 28, hours before she resigned over an unrelated matter. Describing transport policy as ‘a series ...
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NewsPortugal’s Green Rail Pass scheme proves popular with younger travellers
PORTUGAL: The national rail discount pass launched by the government on October 21 has seen strong uptake in the first month.
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NewsLegal changes aim to streamline Californian rail electrification projects
USA: The Governor of California has signed legislation designed to accelerate electrification by exempting zero-emission railway projects on existing lines from requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, which can lead to legal delays. The bill passed with bipartisan support was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom ...
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News‘Turning point’ reached for potential new Channel Tunnel train operators
EUROPE: The rail industry has finally reached a ‘turning point’ which will facilitate the launch of new international passenger train operators competing with Eurostar on routes to the UK.
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NewsReport calls for harmonisation of standards across Australia’s 29 rail networks
Establishing consistent national standards for the rail industry could save billions of dollars by supporting a more efficient, safer and productive industry, according to a new report.
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In depthInterview: Putting ERA at the heart of Europe’s railway ecosystem
Due to step down at the end of December, with the end of his second mandate as Executive Director of the EU Agency for Railways, Josef Doppelbauer explains to Chris Jackson what the agency has achieved over the past decade.
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Rail Business UKRail Minister Hendy strikes conciliatory tone as he backs ‘fresh start’ for UK rail
UK: Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy struck an upbeat tone in his keynote address at the Railway Industry Association’s annual conference on November 6, promising ‘a new start for rail’ and confirming that High Speed 2 ‘will go to [London] Euston’. Hendy said it was a ...
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In depthInterview: ČD sees fleet renewal opportunity despite ‘tedious’ approval task
Michal Krapinec, Chairman & Director General of Czech national operator České Dráhy, unveils his strategy for developing domestic and international passenger services to Toma Bačić.
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NewsNorth Macedonia reverses rail market opening to save national operator
NORTH MACEDONIA: The government has cancelled the previous administration’s opening up of rail infrastructure access to private and foreign freight operators. Legal changes in December 2023 had opened access to the network. However, in September this year the current government reversed the liberalisation, with Minister of ...