Railway policy news – Page 86
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NewsLGV Bretagne financing agreement signed
FRANCE: An agreement confirming the public financing package for LGV Bretagne - Pays de la Loire was signed in Rennes on July 12 by Transport Minister Thierry Mariani, RFF President Hubert du Mesnil and representatives from the Bretagne region, Pays de la Loire and the départements ...
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NewsDB submits Channel Tunnel ICE safety case
EUROPE: Deutsche Bahn submitted safety documentation for the operation of Velaro D high speed trainsets through the Channel Tunnel to the Intergovernmental Commission on July 11. This will allow the IGC to clarify any outstanding matters before DB formally applies for a safety certificate to operate the Siemens-built trains at ...
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NewsSuppliers agree 'step change' research and development initiative
EUROPE: On July 1 the heads of 11 major rail sector suppliers signed a declaration of intent to establish a Joint Technology Initiative to bring about a 'step change' in industry-driven research and development. To run during the European Commission's next Framework Programme for Research & Innovation, which starts in ...
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NewsWellington suburban rail upgrading package agreed
NEW ZEALAND: A package of infrastructure upgrades on Wellington’s Tranz Metro suburban rail network and transfer of the train fleet from KiwiRail to Greater Wellington Regional Council was approved on July 5. GWRC has assumed ownership of the stations (other than Wellington), stabling and depot facilities. It ...
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NewsBombardier to shed 1400 jobs at Derby
UK: Bombardier Transportation announced on July 5 that it was initiating a 90-day statutory consultation process with a view to downsizing capacity at its train manufacturing plant in Derby. Citing declining workloads, the company is expecting to release 446 permanent and 983 temporary staff over the next few months. At ...
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NewsEuropean Union and Armenia join OTIF
INTERNATIONAL: On July 1 the European Union and Armenia acceded to the COTIF convention, which sets out a legal framework for international rail transport. Both automatically joined OTIF, the intergovernmental organisation which manages the convention. The European Commission said accession as the first supranational body will provide legal security for ...
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NewsVeolia takes over from troubled DSBFirst
SWEDEN: Veolia Transport is to take over local services in southern Sweden which are currently operated by DSBFirst Sverige, Gunnar Wulff, Chief Executive of regional transport authority Öresundståg announced on June 28. This follows an agreement between DSB and Öresundståg which aims to ensure continued operations and also to stabilise ...
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NewsRail debate ahead
FRANCE: The future of rail is to be the subject of a 'national debate' in September, Transport Minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet announced on June 16. 'The railway sector finds itself at a crossroads', she said, facing conflicting challenges that included maintaining the existing network while pursuing an ambitious high speed ...
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NewsEU ministers agree recast proposals
EUROPE: Meeting on June 16, European Union transport ministers reached agreement on the proposed recast of the First Railway Package to promote more competition in the rail transport market. European Commission Vice-President for Transport Siim Kallas welcomed the decision, which he said would 'shut loopholes in the current laws that ...
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NewsHammond sees bright future if costs can be cut
RAILTEX: ‘In this tough economic environment, there are not many industries that can say they have a genuine sense of optimism, but the rail industry has the right to be proud’, said UK Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond in a keynote address at Railtex 2011 on June 15. ...
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NewsStandard gauge to Niamey?
AFRICA: The long-held dream that the former Chemin de Fer Abidjan – Niger (RAN) might one day reach the second place in its name has resurfaced, amid suggestions that the metre-gauge line connecting Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso could be converted to standard gauge. The Economic Community ...
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NewsERA publishes EU Railway Safety Performance report 2011
EUROPE: Rail remains one of the safest modes of transport, according to 'Railway Safety Performance in the European Union', the European Railway Agency's fourth annual report on safety published on June 7. There has been an overall improvement since 2006, and most fatalities are unauthorised persons and level crossing users. ...
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NewsBeware of the road/rail interface
LEVEL CROSSINGS: The second International Level Crossing Awareness Day on June 9 is intended to raise public awareness, explains Isabelle Fonverne, Projects Officer, Safety & Interoperability at the International Union of Railways.
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NewsSerbian Railways restructured
SERBIA: The government formally converted Serbian Railways into a joint stock company 100% owned by the state on May 26. ZS is now a holding company for four subsidiaries which are responsible for infrastructure, property, passenger operations & rolling stock maintenance and freight operations & rolling stock maintenance. Interaction ...
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NewsEasing winter discontent
SWEDEN: The government has announced plans to increase spending on preventive maintenance of rail infrastructure by SKr800m this year, following winter disruptions which had 'clearly shown the consequences of neglecting the maintenance of the railway network for far too long'. Last year the government set out plans to invest SKr500bn ...
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NewsModernisation money allocated
MACEDONIA: In May Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski announced the allocation of a further €10m to fund projects to bring the rail network up to modern European standards for safety, automation and working conditions. The money will go towards the development of a control centre which will monitor the entire 700 ...
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NewsChuo maglev project endorsed
JAPAN: Central Japan Railway announced on May 27 that it had received a directive from Transport Minister Akihiro Ohata 'to proceed with construction' of the planned 550 km Chuo Shinkansen maglev line between Tokyo and Osaka. Under discussion since the early 1970s, this is now expected to cost in excess ...
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NewsPassenger trains return to Jamaica
JAMAICA: Passenger services are set to restart in the first week of July, following an inaugural train from May Pen to Linstead on April 16 which carried 200 guests including schoolchildren enjoying their first train ride. Transport & Works Minister Michael Henry cut a ribbon to mark ...
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NewsHigh Speed in the UK: Making the Case
UK: With the government embarked on an extensive programme of public consultation for the proposed High Speed 2 between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, Railway Gazette International will be holding a live debate on Wednesday June 8 to discuss the prospects for high speed rail development in ...
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NewsDeclaration on Sustainable Mobility & Transport launched
INTERNATIONAL: UIC formally launched the Declaration on Sustainable Mobility & Transport at the United Nations in New York on May 11. Described as 'the railway sector's commitment to sustainable development', the declaration lists the industry's most important environmental objectives. It has so far been signed by 44 UIC members which ...