Railway transport – road transport. These notions are not two antagonistic problems, as one may think, but they represent, in fact, a false dilemma. Lately, due to the so-called priorities regarding either the construction of new highways or the development of more efficient railway lines, these two notions only generate excuses and motivations that lead nowhere.
In a civilized country with a healthy economy, the two transport systems don’t have to compete; they should be in a fair competition, in order to ensure passenger and freight transport at reasonable costs, in conditions of maximum safety and with minimum impact on the environment.
Until 1990, the Romanian railways represented the main means of transport, taking over over 80% of the total volume of freight and passengers. After 1990, in the context of a transition economy, the situation changed completely. Railway passenger and freight transport continued to lose ground. Another major factor that contributed to this situation was the slow modernisations made, which didn’t meet the precise requirements of the customers concerning:
– an efficient transport system
– a sufficient number of trains, with a timetable that satisfies the customers’ demands
– low tariffs
– reduced travel time
At the same time, the endless import of motor vehicles and the disloyal competition between the two transport systems causes even today road traffic congestion at national level, as well as a high number of accidents which result in deaths, wounded and important material damages. We have reached a situation in which, in certain days, the number of deaths and wounded on our country’s roads exceed even the body counts of WWII. Another aspect strongly debated, but for which no measures are taken, is represented by climate pollution. It a well-known fact that railway transport causes a level of pollution 10 times lower compared to road transport. In Romania, due to the reduction in the industrial activity, the chemical pollution is due mainly to the excessive use of the personal motor vehicles. Because of this phenomenon, the large urban agglomerations in Romania record a level of pollution so high that the decision-makers and the local authorities should be on full alert. To date, the local decision-makers haven’t taken any measures to restrict road traffic, not even in the historical centres or during certain hours of the day. How come the Romanian authorities don’t imitate the measures taken in several European cities and take actions to restrict road traffic in certain days and areas of Bucharest, such as Calea Victoriei, or in the leisure areas of the citizens? The fight for a clean and sustainable environment is not easy.
To that effect, a good example is the recent Summit held in Copenhagen, which was finalized with very modest measures and which didn’t take into account the agreements with legal power, because it is very hard to merge the interests of countries with different economic and social developments. In this context, the activity of the Romanian decision-makers will not be easy.
Finally, the issue of environmental protection was approached at international level. On September 12, 2001, the European Commission adopted the “White Paper – European transport policy 2010”, a document which stipulates the promotion of railway transport.
To that effect, by signing the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union promised to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2012, compared to the level recorded in 1990.
The measures taken at international level and ensuring the priority of the railways were soon implemented. Hence, the THALYS programme eliminates flights between Paris, Brussels, Köln and Amsterdam and introduces high-speed trains, which reduce CO2 emissions by 7000 tonnes every year.
The PARCEL INTERCITY (PIC) programme ensures container transport on the DB railway network, this eliminating road transport.
The postal services in Germany, Denmark and Sweden use exclusively the railway system to carry packages. In most European countries, including our Hungarian neighbour, combined container transport and the so-called “rolling road” (RO-LA) which ensures the transport of trucks in international traffic have begun to develop.
In Sweden, a new main railway line was built between Stockholm and Eskilstuna (mining area), thus reducing CO2 emissions by 6000 tonnes/year and eliminating ore transport and tipping lorries. This measure also generated the creation of remarkable art works, such as ORESUND (between Denmark and Sweden) or the modernisation of the transalpine tunnels, which significantly reduce road traffic.
In Spain, due to the development of high-speed lines (3000 km) between Madrid-Seville-Barcelona, most passengers choose railway transport to the detriment of road transport.
In the last few years, even the United States have started to promote high-speed railway transport in the industrial areas in the north-east and on the western coast, between Los Angeles and San Francisco and other such examples can be seen on all the continents.
In Romania, in the context of the strong competition between the two transport systems, too little measures were taken in order to ensure a fair competition between the two competitors. Stating that the revenues of the two State-owned freight and passenger transport companies decreased because of the low number of customers, CFR SA received State subsidies that cannot even ensure a minimal survival!
In this context, the railway network and the works made for the trackbeds, buildings and equipment are constantly degrading. The number of dangerous areas has significantly increased and the means of intervention – if and where they exist – cannot be used because of the lack of funds necessary to pay the service suppliers, the fuel, power supply and spare parts.
The Romanian railways and especially the superstructure made up of tracks, installations, sleepers and ballast, is over 30-40 years old, characterising the entire network as “old”.
Official statistics show that, at the end of 1989, 1.234 km of track were overdue for major repairs and by the end of 2006, their number increased to 5.148 km and it keeps increased year after year, because of the lack of funds.
Based on these facts, the speed limit continues to decrease. In 2008, the number of railway lines operating at a speed of 81-100 km/h decreased by 48% and the number of lines operating at a speed of 101-140 km/h decreased by 25%. The speed limit decreased because of the increase in the speed between 50-80 km/h and the speed lower than 50 km/h.
The speed reduction prevents railway transport from being active. Of all the elements that make up the superstructure, the poor state of the railway tracks, installations and the sleeper fastening elements generate a high level of concern. Many works require urgent interventions. The measurements made periodically using the EM 130 R diagnosis unit show significant track wear, in some places even exceeding the normal limit.
Lately, many derailments and train collisions were reported, which fortunately caused only material damage. This should alert the decision-makers, seeing as this old railway network carries not only goods and assets, but also human lives.
The fact that, lately, no major catastrophes was recorded is mainly due to the efforts made by the personnel who, with very modest means, ensure traffic safety.
Alarm signals related to the state of the transport systems were given only by the experts in the field. The mass-media reports periodically the negative aspects regarding road and railway transport. In conclusion, there should not exist competition between road and railway transport and a fair solution should be found in accordance with European Directive 2001/14/3 which states the following at point 43: “it is necessary to initiate stimulative measures through which railway companies and the infrastructure manager are encouraged to reduce network malfunctions to a minimum”.
All the analyses and the measurements made have to be preceded by the elaboration of various strategies concerning the future of the transport infrastructure (railway, road, air transport), which take into account determinant factors, Romania’s economic and social development, the demographic and tourist impact and the relations with the local and European region.
In order to reduce the technological difference between the Romanian railways and the efficient railway administrations, major efforts should be made, both at decisional and executional level.
by Eng. Ion Stafie
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