Railway policy news – Page 4
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NewsGlobal logistics groups will reshape intermodal rail freight market
EUROPE: The emergence of global logistics groups as major players in international rail freight provision is poised to shake up the sector, according to a study by SCI Verkehr.
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NewsChange in safety rules opens door to more cross-Channel operators
EUROPE: Eurotunnel is working with rolling stock suppliers and safety authorities to simplify the standards that apply to cross-Channel rail traffic as part of its aim to double the number of high speed passenger trains using the Channel Tunnel by the end of 2033.
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In depthJapan: Attracting traffic to rural lines
Imaginative initiatives are helping to ensure the survival of lightly used railways in rural Japan. Mike Bent reports.
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In depthComment: Freight’s miserable year
According to UIRR, the European rail freight industry is facing a downturn. Our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley highlights the critical importance of intermodal transport for the future of rail freight and the need for policy support to decarbonise global supply chains.
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In depthViewpoint: French lessons from North America
Radical changes to France’s state-owned rail freight sector are needed following the threat of punitive action from the European Commission. Iker de Luisa, General Manager of the Mexican railway industry association, asks what lessons can be learnt from America.
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NewsERA authorises Nightjet coaches for international operation
EUROPE: An initial batch of Siemens Mobility-built Nightjet coaches ordered by Austrian Federal Railways has been approved by ERA for use in Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.
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NewsDate set for Luxembourg Rail Protocol to enter into force
INTERNATIONAL: The Luxembourg Rail Protocol to the Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment is to enter into force in contracting states on March 8 2024, the intergovernmental ratification task force has announced.
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In depthAustralasia: Investment pipeline promises ‘golden age of rail’
Rail has a critical role to play on the path to net zero in Australia and New Zealand, but key issues including a lack of interoperability between networks and jurisdictions need to be urgently addressed.
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NewsInfrastructure manager established ahead of South African rail network opening
SOUTH AFRICA: National railway and logistics group Transnet has established an interim rail infrastructure manager as part of plans to open the network to third party train operators in 2024. Vertical separation forms part of the government’s National Rail Policy which aims to facilitate private sector ...
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In depthSafety: Railways must report, learn and improve
The EU Agency for Railways is continuing its campaign to develop a risk-based safety culture across Europe’s rail networks, as Executive Director Josef Doppelbauer explains to Chris Jackson.
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Rail Business UKDisappointment as railway reform bill now unlikely before election
UK: The government’s decision to publish a draft rather than full railway reform bill is a missed opportunity, rail industry bodies said following the King’s Speech at the opening of Parliament on November 7. The government said that given the scale and complexity of the planned ...
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In depthComment: UK turns its back on rail growth
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to abandon the remaining phases of the High Speed 2 programme reflects the UK government’s growing antipathy to rail investment and equivocation about climate targets, leaving Britain’s railway without a clear plan for future expansion.
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NewsEuropean Commission says Spain has failed to apply Single European Railway Area rules
SPAIN: The European Commission has decided to refer Spain to the Court of Justice of the European Union, saying it has failed to correctly transpose and apply Directive 2012/34/EU establishing a Single European Railway Area. The Commission explained on October 18 that it believed the Spanish ...
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NewsLegislators overturn obstacles to new line projects
BRAZIL: On October 16 changes to planned legislation intended to facilitate investment in the rail sector by private entrepreneurs were published in the Official Gazette. This followed a vote by National Congress on October 4 and signature by President Luiz Inácio da Silva on October 11. ...
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In depthPolicy: Data sharing is essential to build the ‘Internet of Trains’
The vision of an ‘Internet of Trains’ is bringing together many players in the railway industry, but a genuine data economy based on digital business models will succeed only if there is a pan-European data sharing infrastructure.
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In depthAsia-Pacific: Riding a tidal wave of digital transformation
Railways across the Asia-Pacific region are grappling with the challenges of digitalisation, but the UN believes that taking a co-ordinated approach and establishing partnerships within a regional ecosystem offers the prospect of greater benefits. Raghu Dayal reports.
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In depthComment: Rail safety credentials matter
Politicians contines to raise doubts with rail safety, despite railways being one of the safest forms of land transport. Benjámin Zelki considers that while continuous improvement is welcome, sweeping claims about rail safety may not always align with the evidence.
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Rail Business UKRail leaders court Labour as fears of ‘managed decline’ grow
UK: Amid mounting concern about potential cuts to rail provision, senior leaders in the passenger and freight markets have begun to engage more closely with the Labour Party ahead of a likely general election in 2024.
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NewsApplications invited for €7bn of Connecting Europe Facility funding
EUROPE: The European Commission has issued its latest call for proposals for funding under the Connecting Europe Facility, making available €7bn to support new or upgraded infrastructure on the Trans-European Transport network. CE funding can be used to support projects on the Core and Comprehensive TEN-T ...
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NewsZambia – DR Congo – Angola railway study backed by EU and USA
AFRICA: Studies are to be undertaken for the construction of a railway linking the Copper Belt region of Zambia with the Katanga region of DR Congo and the existing railway to the port of Lobito in Angola. This would form part of a planned Trans-African Corridor. ...