Spain has allocated an additional 43,5 million euros for eco-incentive subsidies. With the subsidies, Spain intends to promote rail freight based on environmental and socioeconomic merit. The eco-incentive subsidies were introduced after a deal with the European Commission (EC) on the release of funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Earlier, the EC wanted Madrid…
Category: Policy
It’s time the EU commits to financial support for rail to meet policy goals
Consistency in pursuing goals, political commitment and explicit financial guarantees. Those are the three pillars that will ensure rail investments take place in a targeted and efficient manner in pursuit of reaching climate and decarbonisation goals and making rail freight more competitive. According to ETF, CER, and UITP, it is high time the EU proved…
European Parliament to approve TEN-T revision today
The European Parliament (EP) is voting today on the trialogue agreement on the revision of the TEN-T Regulation. Expectations are that the EP will approve the text. After that, the policy will be translated into the 24 EU official languages, published in the Official Journal of the European Union and come into force. The initial…
Dutch advisory body appeals to coalition negotiators: “Create level playing field”
The Dutch rail freight committee has presented a letter of appeal to government negotiators. In the letter, the committee requests the next government to take concrete steps for the betterment of Dutch rail freight. A level playing field, environmental challenges and decarbonisation feature as major points of attention in the appeal. The Dutch rail freight…
Deutsche Bahn does not rule out DB Cargo sale
Deutsche Bahn (DB) does not rule out the sale of its freight subsidiary DB Cargo. Looming EU sanctions over excessive state support are forcing DB to find an escape route. A partial sale of financially underperforming DB Cargo might be on the table. According to Handelsblatt, DB does not rule out a sale of its…
Italy awards contracts worth 477 million euros for Rome-Pescara line upgrade
Italian rail infrastructure manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) has awarded two contracts, which are worth 477 million euros, for upgrades along the Rome-Pescara line. According to RFI, the upgrades will have numerous benefits, among which is the potential growth of freight traffic. The two contracts concern upgrades between the intermodal hub Interporto D’Abruzzo and Manoppello,…
Subsidy for rail freight rolling stock in Italy will remain after all
Despite recent concerns, the Italian government will not cancel a measure aimed at helping companies purchasing rail rolling stock. A total of 115 million euros, thus, will still be deployed to cover 20 per cent of the costs retroactively to 2021. Fears of a cancellation of this measure surfaced in March, when the Italian Chamber…
All change for rail in Dublin due to post-Brexit freight boom
Passengers from the southeast Irish port of Rosslare could be forced to change trains on the way to Dublin. Growing traffic from the port and enhancements to the metro service around the Irish capital could leave through services struggling for train paths. A solution has been proposed by the Irish Government, which would require long-distance…
Austria starts 250,000 euro support scheme for single wagon transport in Tyrol
Austria has started a 250,000 support scheme for single wagon transport in Tyrol, bordering Italy. The programme has been in effect since 1 April. It is not supposed to be a one-time love affair with rail as it aims at a long-term modal shift breakup with the road. The scheme aims at “greater efficiency, a…