The European Commission (EC) authorised a scheme for 959 million euros to boost the modal shift from road to rail in France. “Under the scheme, the aid will take the form of a reduction in the rail infrastructure charge for the years 2020-2024”, the EC specified.
Thus, the scheme will be a form of reimbursement of Track Access Charges (TAC) over the past four years. The aim of the measure is to help “rail freight operators in France, who have seen their market share decline”, mostly due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Track Access Charge in France
A reimbursement scheme for the past four years might not necessarily solve all problems as the issue of rising TAC in France has been at the centre of industry debates. For example, it seems that they might be increase by 24 per cent over the next three years, an initiative which caused adverse reactions from the sector. One of the main points raised by various French associations, including AFRA, is that increases in TAC should only be implemented if they bring an upgrade in service quality and performance.