TURKEY: On April 30 President Abdullah Gül approved legislation which will enable the private sector to invest in rail infrastructure and operate open-access trains on the national network.
State railway TCDD is to become an infrastructure manager under the new legislation, which was passed by parliament the previous week. TCDD's operating activities are to be transferred to a stand-alone business known as TCDD Tasimacilik, but the company has stressed that privatisation is not currently envisaged.
The legislation will enable the Ministry of Transport & Communications to grant private companies concessions to build and operate railways.
- The Turkish railway reform programme is described in detail in the May 2013 issue of Railway Gazette International.
