Although the opening of the rail freight transport market allowed a large number of operators to access the railway network, market mechanisms haven’t been sufficient to organise, regulate and guarantee railway safety. In order to optimize the use and reliability of the railway network, it is necessary to introduce new additional procedures so as to consolidate cooperation with regard to the distribution of international freight routes among infrastructure managers.
In this context, the development of international rail corridors for a competitive European rail freight network facilitates the improvement of infrastructure use. “The regulation concerning a European railway network for a competitive freight transport will substantially improve cooperation between infrastructure managers and operators along rail freight transport corridors. Common objectives will be defined for these corridors, helping all those involved in cooperating for a common goal. An implementation plan will represent the basis for establishing corridors in three or five years after the Regulation entered into force (e.n. the Regulation became effective in November 2010)”, declared Keir Fitch, in charge with railway transport at DG MOVE. “A very important aspect of the Regulation is the cooperation between freight terminal managers and rail infrastructure managers, in terms of traffic management and infrastructure development. Freight transport operators or forwarders, others than railway undertakings, will be able to request track access to these new corridors”, Keir Fitch, DG MOVE. “Being the main users of the corridors, railway undertakings should have an active role to play in the decision-making process on corridor improvements, together with the infrastructure managers,” emphasises Johannes Ludewig, CER Executive
Director.The Regulation represents a milestone for the European railway policy in terms of freight traffic development, which will help increase rail freight transport capacity in the countries in which the railway is already going through a rebirth in terms of freight volumes and market share, as well as support the improvement of railway competitiveness in terms of quality and efficiency of transport services in the countries where the railway is still in need of revitalization. In order to meet the various needs of market segments, the Regulation stipulates the distribution of pre-established routes, as well as an ad-hoc distribution. While the pre-established routes and, first and foremost, useful for the transport service suppliers who approach market segments with a more stable and predictable transport demand, based on traffic patterns, ensuring an ad-hoc capacity will also allow the identification of target markets, where seldom the transport demand appears relatively without notice and where rail transport founds itself in a disadvantage, especially in international traffic, because of the long-term planning perspectives. The identification and distribution of Freight Corridors will set the basis and create the necessary framework to achieve continuity along the network. However, it will depend upon the interested organisations to implement the necessary measures. Therefore, in terms of rail transport, the ambition and commitment should be higher, concluded Keir Fitch, DG MOVE.
by Elena Ilie
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