Promoting railway freight transport is one of the important elements for the European Union to meet the objectives set through the strategies launched over the past years, including the allocation of massive infrastructure investments to encourage transport by rail. The declarations announced and signed during this year’s edition of the TEN-T Days is a step forward in reaching the objectives in the right direction, and a stimulus for economic growth in a sustainable context.
In order to encourage freight traffic development, the railway sector has been developing a “single list of actions” aimed to implement solutions for increasing efficiency in freight traffic and improving the quality of railway transport services along the transport corridors. To that end, the railway sector, next to several institutions (such as CER, CLECAT, EIM, ERFA, ERTMS Users Group, ESC, UIP, UIRR, and UNIFE) presented in June a declaration through which they commit to develop the competitiveness of Rail Freight Corridors to the benefit of all customers, towards much more attractive services increased operational efficiency, and higher capacity for transport demand.
Concrete actions include the consolidation of Rail Freight Corridors governance and the optimisation of TEN-T transport links, the development of a joint and integrated IT system, as well as the implementation of the Telematic Applications for Freight, the further development of key performance indicators, a cost efficient EU-level approach toward the reduction of transport noise and the harmonisation of processes and guidelines at European level.
Through the signed declaration, the actors involved in the sector will help increase international transport competitiveness, unlock the growth potential and promote rail transport as a preferred mode of transport due to its characteristics that contribute to sustainable development.
Ministerial Declaration supports the sector’s initiatives
For the significant development of rail freight transport worldwide, a Ministerial Declaration of Rail Freight Corridors was also signed in June 2016 underlining the importance of intense cooperation in promoting competitiveness and increasing rail traffic, as well as its importance in establishing the Single European Railway Area.
The development of railway freight transport is still fragile in the EU representing 50% of international transport and its market share is stable or slightly declining. In 2015, rail freight transport in Europe was confronted with a market full of challenges and different development rhythms (at national level) which determined a different evolution of the market share and shipped volumes. According to the EU, positive results were registered on some Rail Freight Corridors during the first years since the establishment and operation of Rail Freight Corridors, especially by consolidating cooperation with governing authorities. However, international traffic is still burdened by agglomerations in the network and operation, especially cross-border traffic between member states. These impediments require new measures to reduce or eliminate hindrances so that rail freight transport could be significantly developed to contribute to the White Paper on Transport target (2011) of shifting 30% of road traffic to rails on distances longer than 300 km.
By signing the declaration, the Ministers expressed their support to further develop rail freight transport and to contribute to the development of Rail Freight Corridors. At present, as all the 9 freight corridors are operational and they enter a new development phase, the goal of the Declaration is to generate a strong political impulse.
Thus, the Ministers identified four important objectives and activities to meet the proposed objective.
Making international rail freight a more attractive option for customers and citizens:
The declaration welcomes the rail sector initiative on the development and implementation of a infrastructure harmonised by the information and communication technology (ICT) and encourages the use of data by the sector and its transmission to important parties of the logistic chain; also, measures will be taken to reduce the noise level caused by rail transport in the densely populated areas.
Making the governance of the Rail Freight Corridors more efficient:
High-level discussions on strategic problems are encouraged at least once a year. The Council Board and the Executive Board should consider the development of an annual conference for networking between relevant parties. The establishment of a structure of the Advisory Group for interested customers is encouraged, as well as the sector’s initiative on the Harmonised development of KPIs.
Enhancing operational efficiency: encourages the equal cooperation of Rail Freight Corridors and TEN-T Core Network Corridors, underlining that the RFCs are competent in operational international rail transport problems; within this measure, budgets will be adapted to implement financing schemes in the EU to reduce/eliminate agglomerations in the network at small costs with significant impact on the Rail Freight Corridors. Moreover, the importance of eliminating the technical measures at national levels is also highlighted. Infrastructure managers will be asked to contribute to harmonising operation regulations to guarantee the implementation of the 4th Railway Package.
Ensuring adequate capacity for all users: development and consolidation of cooperation between One-Stop-Shops, as well as cooperation between the Executive Boards, IM and regulation agencies are encouraged to develop a framework for allocation of capacity.
The Declaration takes into consideration the sector’s initiative to elaborate on and make a proposal regarding the redesign of the timetabling process, that improves the efficiency of rail freight services, and contribute to a fair allocation of capacity between passenger and freight transport.
The Ministerial Declaration underlines the introduction of a rail freight transport strategy, both nationally and at European level, the continuation of the liberalisation process, reducing administrative and technical constraints, the harmonisation of traffic management procedures, the monitoring of rail sector performance and the promotion of fair competition between transport modes.
by Pamela Luica
Share on:
