WE WERE NOT surprised last month to hear that Estonia’s Ministry of Economy & Communications had started consultations on a new methodology for calculating EVR’s rail infrastructure usage fees.Minister Juhan Parts said higher fees would shorten the average payback period for ’certain investments’ such as capacity improvements at the Koidula border station and a freight bypass around Tallinn. Other projects include raising line speeds between Tallinn and Tartu. He hoped to have the new tariff structure in place by May 27.Readers will recall the recent allegations that the Estonian government regulated access charges down to an artificially low level, putting pressure on Eesti Raudtee’s private owners and paving the way for renationalisation (RG 2.07 p58).Meanwhile, with cross-border tensions between Estonia and Russia increasing, RZD announced that the St Petersburg - Tallinn passenger service introduced on March 31 would be withdrawn from May 26 as it was unprofitable, although services will continue to run between Moscow and Tallinn.n

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