It may have taken some time, but the Dutch parliament is finally getting to it: A debate is set to take place on 3 April, on the topic of rail freight. It is also a crucial moment for the industry, which is doing its utmost to explain what it needs to the political community.
The rail freight sector has long lobbied for tangible steps to improve its competitiveness. After all, the so-called modal shift from road to rail is official policy. A couple of months ago, it managed to compel the Ministry of Infrastructure to come out with a much-anticipated policy statement. That is, after no less than 49 months of waiting.The industry was hoping for a change in course with concrete measures for improvement. But alas, that turned out to be wishful thinking.
The policy statement (“Toekomstbeeld Spoorgoederenvervoer”) caused disappointment more than anything. “In conclusion: a lot of words, not specific, ‘lots of old wine in new bags’, no innovative policy, no decisive action to improve the competitiveness of (intermodal) rail freight”, that is how Dutch rail freight association RailGood characterised the ministry’s plan at the time. The government lacks a vision for rail freight.
A parliamentary debate on rail (including freight) was supposed to take place on 15 January. However, the freight debate was postponed to 3 April in favour of a lengthier debate on passenger rail security and migrants on trains. That could perhaps be taken as illustrative for the (lack of) political priority for rail freight.
Sounding the alarm
The debate is now set to take place after all. Ahead of the debate, the Logistics Alliance (Logistieke Alliantie) is sounding the alarm. The organisation, which includes major players such as the ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and infrastructure manager ProRail, earlier concurred with RailGood that the policy statement was a missed opportunity.
Even though the government is working on rail freight policy, the Logistics Alliance says that the matter is urgent. “The state of our infrastructure is deteriorating rapidly and we have all seen the emergency measures in Germany that it is now leading to”, says Elisabeth Post, president of the Alliance. Germany is undergoing a major years-long overhaul of its rail network which is a major obstacle for trains around the country.
“Governing means looking ahead and that is precisely what the Netherlands has always been very good at in the past. That is now also necessary for freight transport, because it is under pressure in all ways”, Post adds.
Logistics Alliance requests
In terms of looking ahead, what is it that requires political attention, according to the Alliance? Its concerns sound familiar to those voiced in Germany: First, Dutch politics should develop a policy agenda with a guarantee of structural financing. Secondly, the Logistics Alliance calls for prioritised restoration and maintenance of infrastructure. Budgets are currently insufficient, and infrastructure is deteriorating fast, it says.
Lastly, the organisation makes an appeal for electrification and capacity expansion on the Dutch railways, subsidies for the replacement of diesel locomotives and fewer barriers for hybrid locomotives. With the Dutch power network already working at maximum capacity, there also needs to be a plan to expand it by 2030.
Earlier in the year, the Logistics Alliance called for enabling 740-metre trains, a further implementation of ERTMS and improving infrastructure along the so-called Betuwe Line. It also wants a policy plan to develop multimodality and harmonised legislation for dangerous goods at a European level.
“Freight transport is the lifeline of our economy and society. Without decisive intervention, disruptions, further economic damage and loss of competitiveness are imminent”,the Logistics Alliance president concludes. “Tanks will also not be able to use our railways and roads when the need arises. We ask politicians to pay structural attention to and invest in infrastructure, reliability and sustainability. This is the only way to keep the Netherlands running and build a new and sustainable mobility system.”