Rhine-Alpine News
29.03.2022
Gateway Basel Nord: Extensive nature conservation concept
Terrain with natural bridge, Source: Gateway Basel Nord AG
The trimodal gateway Basel Nord makes Basel the most important freight transport hub in Switzerland. Extensive nature conservation measures are planned as part of the project. A corresponding concept was submitted to the Federal Office of Transport on March 23, 2022. This contains more measures in favour of nature than announced a year and a half ago. Since many valuable plants and animals have settled on the area planned for the project in the north of Basel over time, Gateway Basel Nord defined ecological compensation areas of 45.8 hectares in 2020. This is an area that is four times larger than the area built on for the project, which will take up a total of 11.5 hectares. Various measures are planned on the 45.8 hectares of ecological compensation area, which are recorded in the revised nature conservation concept. See press release (in German) here: https://gateway-baselnord.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/gbn-ersatzflaechen.pdf
European Rail Freight Association: Conditions for the Success of a Liberalized Rail Freight Market
Source: Pixabay
The European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) has issued a press release on the occasion of its annual event on 24 March 2022 on Building the Conditions for the Success of a Liberalized Rail Freight Market. Thus, the liberalisation process has fundamentally changed, diversified and internationalized the European Rail Freight Market in the past 20 years. Challengers have increased their market share in European Countries to an average of 48% in 2021), representing almost half of the EU rail market. In light of this trend, ERFA has identified different action fields on infrastructure, technological and competition policy which are crucial to secure fair competition and give Railway Undertakings, and especially challengers, support to efficiently contribute to modal shift and the targets of The Green Deal and European Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy. Besides reaching enhanced infrastructure targets of TEN-T in 2030 and full ERTMS deployment by 2030, the achievement of an equal level playing field in competition between challengers and incumbents is seen as crucial. See full press release here: http://erfarail.eu/uploads/Press%20Release%20-%20Building%20the%20Conditions%20for%20the%20Success%20of%20a%20liberalized%20Rail%20Freight%20Market-1648107460.pdf
shift2030 kicks off initiative for saving energy in transportation
Source: Pixabay
The non-profit initiative shift2030 launched the initiative Time2Shift which points out rail freight as an energy-efficient mode of transport. The very first step is the launch of the website www.time2shift.eu. Further services are intended to be introduced soon in order to support shippers and carriers in shifting to rail, e.g. ramping-up the “rail coach”- concept together with the chambers of commerce. In addition, it is planned to demonstrate “Success Stories” by shippers. Time2Shift shall serve as entry point for shippers and carriers to learn about shifting their cargo to energy-saving rail. Shift2030 intends to collaborate with a broad group of stakeholders and hopes to receive active support from governments, the chambers of commerce as well as from shipper and transport associations, to consider all options in shifting more cargo to energy-saving rail. Rail freight is remarkably energy-efficient: transporting goods on rail consumes 5 x less energy than by diesel trucks. But costs for energy increased massively also for railway undertakings. This is why shift2030 supports the position of several associations to reduce tax on electric energy for rail. This shall ensure that rail freight providers remain competitive and thus more freight can be shifted to energy-saving and climate-friendly rail. The initiative does not intend to pit road against rail. Instead, individual advantages of the respective modes of transport shall be considered. Source: https://www.time2shift.eu/en/