Italian rail freight association Fermerci is sounding yet another alarm that the industry “has not received adequate support measures” from the government despite a four-year long crisis. Fermerci sent a letter to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and a few ministers asking for five key actions to ensure the survival of the sector.
The letter follows the publication of Fermerci’s annual report, which highlighted how rail freight in Italy continues to decline amid infrastructure works and rising costs. Without stronger financial support, the association’s President Clemente Carta mentioned, Italy might have a more modern network but a too fragile sector using it.
In the letter, the association asked for the establishment of compensation packages for losses connected to temporary capacity restrictions during infrastructure works. The main issue, as underlined Fermerci’s report, is that this situation will not improve until 2028, with roughly 800 actions planned for this year alone.
‘Reinstate and reinforce existing measures’
The next three actions regard the reinstatement or reinforcement of existing financial mechanisms in support of rail freight. For example, they are asking for a stronger Ferrobonus package, which is planned to expire this year. Moreover, Fermeci asked for the reactivation of the subsidy for locomotives and wagons, cancelled in 2024, and the restoration of a compensation scheme covering higher fuel expenses.
The final demand is the establishment of a ‘permanent table’ between the government and the sector. Rail freight “continues to ensure the country’s logistical continuity even under extremely challenging conditions”, Carta said. He pointed out that freight trains are not running not because they do not want to, but because they cannot as the infrastructure gets upgraded. Hence, financial support is necessary to ensure the sector and restore its health.