All Policy articles – Page 2
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NewsTrain2InnoTrans highlights the need for cross-border co-operation
INNOTRANS: Around 230 senior European decision makers and rail sector representatives travelled from Brussels to Berlin on a special train on September 23, organised by the Europe’s Rail joint undertaking to demonstrate the benefits of enhancing cross-border rail connectivity. Operated by one ...
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NewsEuropean rail sector responds to announcement of next Transport Commissioner
EUROPE: Apostolos Tzitzikostas of Greece has been named European Commissioner designate for Sustainable Transport & Tourism. A 46-year old member of the New Democracy party, Tzitzikostas was governor of the Central Macedonia region from 2014, President of the European Committee of the Regions in 2020-22 and ...
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NewsEuropean Rail Freight Association sets out priorities
EUROPE: The European Rail Freight Association has issued a 2024-29 manifesto setting three out three broad policy objectives and four issues it believes must be addressed by during the current five-year EU legislative cycle. Its objectives are fixing infrastructure, achieving the Single European Railway Area and ...
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NewsFive steps to boost Belgian rail freight
BELGIUM: Privatised freight operator Lineas has called for Belgium’s national and regional governments to take five steps which it says are needed to improve the competitiveness of rail freight and help address road congestion, climate change and the energy transition. These are: Competitive fairness: the ...
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In depthRegulation: Putting customers at heart of DB InfraGO
In its biennial report published on July 1, Germany’s Monopolies Commission calls for measures governing DB InfraGO to be geared more directly to the needs of rail customers.
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NewsMoldova joins the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail
MOLDOVA: Moldova has become the 52nd Member of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail. Based in Switzerland, OTIF is the intergovernmental organisation which develops a unified legal framework for railways which is applied by countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. Moldova’s application for accession ...
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In depthInterview: Record funding is flowing – but Germany’s railway must deliver
The building blocks to turn round performance on Germany’s national network are being put in place thanks to an unprecedented investment programme, but Deutsche Bahn and infrastructure arm DB InfraGO must deliver on their promises, warns Federal Minister for Digital & Transport Dr Volker Wissing. Murray Hughes put the questions.
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In depthComment: Contrasting approaches to fixing things
The transport ministers of Britain and Germany are taking contrasting approaches to addressing the problems facing their railways. Dr Volker Wissing believes management reorganisation cannot solve DB’s problems, but his counterpart Louise Haigh is taking the opposite view with Labour’s rail reforms. Nick Kingsley suggests they could learn much from each other.
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NewsVietnam plans rail reform as high speed line plan revived
VIETNAM: The Ministry of Transport has put forward proposals for rail reforms which aim to better meet local needs when planning transport infrastructure for 2030, and looking further ahead to 2050. Planning has also restarted for a much-discussed north-south 350 km/h high speed line. Under the ...
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Rail Business UKHaigh gives the go-ahead for Shadow Great British Railways
UK: Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh has given the go-ahead for the creation of a Shadow Great British Railways, ahead of the future primary legislation which will be needed to create Great British Railways as an arm’s length body overseeing both train services and ...
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NewsGanz-Mavag Europe withdraws Talgo bid
SPAIN: Ganz-Mavag Europe has withdrawn its bid to buy 100% of Talgo after the acquisition was blocked by the Spanish government. It said ‘depending on the evolution of the circumstances’ it may consider resubmitting a bid. The Hungarian consortium’s announcement on August 29 came two days ...
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NewsSpain blocks Hungarian consortium’s bid to acquire Talgo
SPAIN: The Spanish government has vetoed the proposed acquisition of 100% of rolling stock manufacturer Talgo by Hungarian consortium Ganz Mavag Europe, saying confidential analysis had determined that the deal posed ‘a risk to national security and public order’.
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Rail Business UKDouble rail’s modal share in a decade, urges Labour transport review
UK: The Rail & Urban Transport Review led by former Siemens UK CEO Jürgen Maier has published a report into at how rail infrastructure could be delivered ‘better, faster and more cost effectively’.
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NewsFederal budget increases equity in DB InfraGO
GERMANY: The federal government has agreed to changes in the national budget for 2025 that will replace a provision for grants worth €4∙5bn by equity increases in Deutsche Bahn’s infrastructure business, DB InfraGO. In the same statement on August 16, the government announced that DB would ...
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NewsEstonian cabinet approves Operail privatisation
ESTONIA: The cabinet has approved Minister of Infrastructure Vladimir Svet’s proposal for the privatisation of national freight operator Operail to progress to the next stage. The two-stage process began in June, when potential buyers had the opportunity to review an initial information package and submit a ...
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In depthEurope: Better planning can keep trains running
Long-term thinking and better planning could help alleviate disruption when infrastructure work is in progress. With a European Regulation on railway capacity due shortly, Forum Train Europe offers a blueprint for the future.
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NewsUkraine signs EU railway harmonisation support agreement
UKRAINE: A further step towards the technical harmonisation of the railway systems of Ukraine and the European Union has been taken with the signing of an administrative arrangement by the Ministry of Communities, Territories & Infrastructure Development and the EU Agency for Railways. ERA will provide ...
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In depthInfrastructure: Developing a rail resilience framework
Arup has developed a policy document aimed at helping the rail sector to reframe its approach to climate resilience by embracing ‘whole-system’ thinking. Co-author Juliet Mian explains to Nick Kingsley.
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NewsReport identifies European missing links where rail could compete with air
EUROPE: Environmental campaigning organisation Greenpeace has produced a comprehensive study of rail services between major European cities, highlighting the ‘untapped potential’ for new direct trains which could replace flights. The Connection Failed report looks at 990 routes between 45 cities. It says only 13% of the ...
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NewsTrain driver and head of safety convicted over Santiago de Compostela derailment
SPAIN: It was ‘incomprehensible’ that a high speed line equipped with ERTMS would not have it installed at a location where a speed restriction meant it was so obviously required, the judge said when a criminal court reached its verdict on the July 24 2013 derailment of a Class 730 Alvia train.