EUROPE: The International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport has called on the European Commission to produce an action plan to boost long-distance and cross-border rail freight, similar to the plan for the passenger sector which was published in December.
UIRR said half of EU freight trains cross at least one border, and nine out of 10 intermodal trains cross a border, with the average intermodal train covering a distance of 921 km.
‘Rail infrastructure is uniquely suited for carrying heavy loads, such as 740 m long 2 000 tonne freight trains, which should be better exploited for society, climate, environmental protection and the economy’, said UIRR President Ralf-Charley Schultze on December 22.
