PARLIAMENT STUDY HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR STRONGER GOVERNANCE TO BOOST RAIL FREIGHT
On 8 July, the European Parliament published a study examining the long-term development of the European railway system towards 2050, assessing how policy, investment and technological choices could shape a more sustainable, resilient and competitive rail network.
For rail freight the study identifies declining modal share, operational fragmentation and limited cross-border interoperability as the main barriers to competitiveness. While rail freight is expected to benefit from growing demand for intermodal and low-carbon logistics, its potential continues to be constrained by capacity bottlenecks, ageing infrastructure, uneven electrification and fragmented national rules.
The study highlights governance and investment as the key determinants of future performance, arguing that technological innovation alone will not deliver a more competitive rail freight system. It identifies the deployment of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), digital capacity management, Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) and data-driven maintenance as important enablers of greater capacity, reliability and operational efficiency. However, these technologies will only achieve their full potential if accompanied by coordinated implementation across Member States.
The study also highlights the importance of improving cross-border interoperability, removing operational bottlenecks and accelerating digitalisation. It further underlines the need for stable long-term investment, arguing that maintenance, resilience, cross-border infrastructure and freight corridors continue to face significant funding gaps.
Source: European Parliament