MEPs suggest ways to ensure better railway capacity management 

On Tuesday, MEPs adopted their position on new rules setting the conditions on the planning and allocation of railway infrastructure capacity in the EU. The aim is to allow for more optimal use of the rail tracks, increase punctuality and reliability, thus also helping to reduce transport-related emissions.

More EU level supervision

MEPs support the division of the railway infrastructure capacity planning into three stages: strategic planning (each five years), scheduling (annually) and adaptation. They also suggest to set up a European Railway Platform consisting of railway undertakings, which would bring in operators, ports or rail-related service owners’ view in capacity planning and distribution.

Under the draft rules the European Network of Infrastructure Managers (ENIM) will have more powers to coordinate cross-border capacity and traffic, as currently uncoordinated maintenance works and lack of cooperation between different infrastructure managers result to congestions and delays at borders.

MEPs back an obligation for infrastructure managers to monitor and benchmark the performance of rail infrastructure and transport services, but also to consult the national regulators and the Commission in order to ensure that their performance targets are consistent with the EU targets, including modal shift to rail.

Digital solutions

Automation and digital tools could make traffic management faster, more effective and cut red tape, note the draft rules. Therefore MEPs want different digital tools, such as, display of capacity plans or digital reporting of incidents, to be deployed from mid 2025 to end of 2030. European railway agency shall coordinate these tasks, they add.

Adequate financing

MEPs are alarmed that between 1990 and 2021 the EU railway network shrank over 12 000 km, which hinders EU’s shift-to-rail objective. They want to commit EU countries to prevent the degrading of rail infrastructure and ensure adequate, stable and timely funding. EU governments and infrastructure managers should sign at least five years investments agreements helping to maintain, renew and develop rail infrastructure, they add.

Quote

EP rapporteur Tilly Metz (Greens, LU) said: “Modal shift to rail is not negotiable if we want to decarbonise the European transport sector. New rules will facilitate this transition and ensure a more optimal use of the rail tracks."

Next steps

The draft rules on the use of railway infrastructure capacity were adopted by 565 votes to 14 and 37 abstentions, constituting Parliament’s position at first reading. The file will be followed up by the new Parliament after the European elections on 6-9 June.