The Ukrainian government asked the National Security and Defense Council to introduce a bundle of sanctions against Russia for the next 50 years. Among other initiatives, there is the proposal for a five-decade ban on the imports of Russian rail rolling stock in Ukraine. Other than the ban on rolling stock imports, the Ukrainian government […]
Category: Policy
Germany: federal government approves amended rail budget cuts
The majority of the German coalition government has approved the proposed budgetary cuts for 2024. Concerns that rail transport would receive considerably less funds for the running year are now confirmed. Nevertheless, the situation is better than initially expected since the government made some essential adjustments. The expectation from the draft budget 2024 was that […]
Hazardous goods violations lead to fines and parliamentary questions in the Netherlands
Dutch transport and environment watchdog ILT has imposed a preliminary fine on an operator of hazardous substances. During an inspection in December 2023, ILT discovered that 16 of the 24 reservoir wagons of a train headed to European destinations were not properly closed and overfilled. The situation caused risk of environmental hazard. The wagons were […]
Financial insecurity looms over future of German railways
Germany’s railways may face a lack of financing security. Rail association Allianz pro-Schiene reports that the financing for railways is secure for a duration of only a single year. In comparison, Austria and Switzerland have guaranteed longer-term financial security of six and twelve years respectively. Germany’s railways need multi-year financing security for construction and expansion […]
Financial insecurity looms over future of German railways
Germany’s railways may face a lack of financing security. Rail association Allianz pro-Schiene reports that the financing for railways is secure for a duration of only a single year. In comparison, Austria and Switzerland have guaranteed longer-term financial security of six and twelve years respectively. Germany’s railways need multi-year financing security for construction and expansion […]
Huge investments in Russian Far East rail are no break with the past
Russia is planning to invest record-breaking amounts in its Far East railway infrastructure. Unprecedented investments in the East in the coming years might be interpreted as a break with the past and a move away from the West. However, it is unlikely that these investments signal a significant change in policy. The new investments will […]
‘Train drivers, sound your horns’, says German rail freight association
Tomorrow, Wednesday 17 January, will be a loud lunch in Berlin. At least 13 freight train drivers will sound their horns in protest to the cuts expected from the 2024 German federal budget. The proposal came from the rail freight association Die Güterbahnen. The symphony will last five minutes, starting at 11:55 am until midday. […]
Swiss single wagonload plan ‘won’t jeopardise rail infrastructure funds’
The Swiss Federal Council recently announced that it will transfer some money destined for the Railway Infrastructure Fund (RIF) to boost single wagonload (SWL) traffic in the country. The funds are coming from the so-called heavy vehicle fee (HVF). Contacted by RailFreight.com, the Federal Office of Transport (FOT) highlighted that “there are no signs that […]
EU sets frail foundations for intermodal transport’s future
The European Commission’s proposal to amend the Weights and Dimensions Directive (WDD) concerning commercial road vehicles presents some problematic points. The railway sector is concerned that the proposal will result in a reverse modal shift from road to rail while also making road and rail transport incompatible in many cases, thus substantially harming intermodal and […]
The 2024 German federal budget could cut 252 million from rail freight
The German rail association Allianz pro-Schiene expressed its worries about the significant cuts expected in the rail freight sector from the 2024 federal budget. “All in all it is about 252 million euros less for rail freight in 2024, if plans won’t change”, a spokesperson from the association told RailFreight.com. The cuts will concern support […]