Wish list for new legislative period EU
With the constitution of the new European Parliament Transport and Tourism (TRAN) Committee, a new legislative period kicks in. Two independent rail company groups, ERFA and ALLRAIL, submitted their wish list of changes and improvements...Read more
EU and China to analyse sustainable rail transport corridors
The EU and China will conduct a joint study on sustainable rail-based comprehensive transport corridors between Europe and China. This was agreed during a meeting of the EU-China Connectivity Platform on 8 April in Brussels....Read more
New CEF facility created for funding ERTMS
The European Commission and the European Investment Bank have launched the new CEF Transport Blending Facility, which is a financial instrument to support projects such as ERTMS. With an initial budget of 200 million Euros...Read more
Deadline for amendments to Combined Transport Directive
The European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee Rapporteur, Daniela Aiuto, has delivered her report to the European Commission with at least 27 amendments to the Combined Transport Directive. The deadline for suggesting amendments to this legislative...Read moreEU/US alliance: ‘intermodal transport vital for competition’
A concerted effort to promote intermodality is key to increasing competitiveness and cutting carbon emissions, says a new transatlantic rail and road alliance. The International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport (UIRR) joined forces with its stateside...Read moreEC approves Italian rail freight funding scheme
The European Commission (EC) has given the green light to an Italian funding scheme aimed at supporting the shift of freight from road to rail in the northern province of Bolzano. Running until 2019 and with...Read more
EU Court of Auditors: ‘ERTMS roll-out insufficient’
The implementation of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is insufficient and too fragmented, states the European Court of Auditors in a report published on Tuesday. The financial burden and a lack of individual...Read more
UK container freight to EU increased
Container traffic between UK ports and EU countries increased by nine per cent to 3.6 million TEUs in 2016. In units, the increase was eight per cent to 2.0 million units. Freight traffic to and...Read more
EU project for ‘real time’ sharing of freight train ETAs
The Royal Dutch Transport association (KNV), which represents rail freight employers, is to lead a Europe-wide project on the real-time exchange of data on the arrival times of freight trains. It will work with intermodal body...Read more
Slovenia puts 1 billion Euros rail freight plan to the people
A rail freight infrastructure programme for Slovenia that would cost a billion Euros is to be put to a referendum, following a vote by the country’s Parliament. The 27-kilometre line is designed to speed up...Read moreEU Commissioner Bulc: ERTMS roll-out ‘too slow’
Roll-out of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) has been ‘too slow’ and action is required to ensure targets are met, says the EU’s Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc. She told the final SERA railway convention...Read more
Rail Baltica can deliver increased freight exports
A new cost-benefit analysis on Rail Baltica, an EU initiative linking the Baltic States and Poland with a new standard gauge freight line, says the project can deliver vital socio-economic benefits such as increased exports....Read more
CER summit seeks rail freight noise solutions
Tackling rail freight noise pollution must involve a ‘comprehensive approach’ by stakeholders, EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc has told a summit organised by the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER). The aim was...Read more
Kiruna successfully tests new EU-backed dump wagon project
Swedish-based Kiruna Wagon has successfully tested a new side dump wagon and unloading station as part of a European Union (EU) project for developing ‘smart’ rail freight wagons for the mined agricultural sector. Led by Spanish...Read more
RFG’s Maggie Simpson: freight network must be ‘fit for purpose’
As Executive Director of the UK Rail Freight Group, Maggie Simpson’s inbox is never empty. She leads the RFG’s work to increase modal shift, by campaigning for a policy environment which supports rail freight, promotes...Read more
EU rail freight test portal now live
The pilot version of a ‘one-stop-shop’ European web portal detailing rail freight service facilities across the continent can now be accessed online. The railfreightlocations.eu site is a European Union initiative involving a group of rail...Read more
Electrification scheme boosts Latvia’s TEN-T status
Latvia’s rail freight capability could be set to move to the next level with the roll-out of a nationwide electrification project linked to the European TEN-T Networks. It comes fresh on the back of the...Read more
Freight innovators celebrated at European Railway Awards
The achievements of the European freight sector over the past decade were among those celebrated at the 10th European Railway Awards – a ceremony with a difference in that no awards were handed out. More...Read moreCzech freight network adds military hardware to portfolio
The army of the Czech Republic teamed up with national rail freight carrier ČD Cargo for a major logistics exercise aimed at testing operations in freezing conditions. In a further demonstration of how military hardware...Read more