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Railway Transport

Selected e-articles

Abstract: Regulation, governance and organisational issues are sensitive aspects in the market of public utilities especially when these markets require and aim at initiating homogenisation processes. The paper aims at understanding how European countries responded to supranational legislation, in terms of governance, management and organisational aspects, on the establishment of Railway Regulatory Bodies and if the steps taken by the European Union were sufficient to fulfil the aim of creating an integrated railway area. We use a neo-institutional lens to interpret documentary sources, such as regulatory sources (Regulations, circulars and directives of the EU) and the responses given to a semi-structured questionnaire submitted to the 28 European Railway Regulatory Authorities. The paper shows that this regulatory field faced differentiated isomorphism and that there is a growing trend towards an organisational model we characterised as ‘Generalist Agency’. We contribute to the literature on the regulation of public utilities, showing that differentiated isomorphism may occur when coercive isomorphism by supranational legislation is mitigated by national differences, and provide policy implications on governance and regulation of the transport industry.

Abstract: The aim of this article is to assess the market power of the state-owned incumbents within the open-access lines in Europe and compare it among themselves. This article investigates three open-access lines in Europe: Prague-Ostrava line (in the Czech Republic), Vienna-Salzburg line (in Austria) and Bratislava-Košice (in Slovakia). The market power assessment of each of the state-owned incumbents on these lines is based on their market shares, average revenues per passenger-kilometre, whether there is a vertical separation of the infrastructure owner and railway service provider and the role of state intervention. Our results show that the state-owned incumbent in the Czech Republic on the Prague-Ostrava line has the lowest market power in comparison to other investigated open-access lines.

Abstract: Long-distance mobility sustainability, high-speed railways (HSR) decarbonization effect, and bans for short-haul flights are debated in Europe. Yet, holistic environmental assessments on these topics are scarce. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on the Paris-Bordeaux transportation options in France: HSR, plane, coach, personal car, and carpooling. The overall ranking on four environmental indicators, from best to worst, is as follows: coach, HSR, carpooling, private car, and plane. Scenario analyses showed that increasing train occupancy decreases the environmental impact of the mode (-12 %), while decreasing speed does not. Moreover, worldwide carbon footprints of electric HSR modes range 30–120 gCO2eq per passenger-kilometer traveled. Finally, a consequential LCA highlighted carbon paybacks of the HSR project. Under a business-as-usual trip substitution scenario, the HSR gets net-zero 60 years after construction. With a short-haul flight ban, it occurs after 10 years. This advocates for generalizing short-haul flight restrictions and investing in HSR infrastructure.

Abstract: The European Union's Trans-European Transport Network policy (TEN-T) is a key instrument for developing rail networks and achieving the European Union's modal shift and territorial cohesion objectives as set out in the White Paper on Transport. High-speed rail (HSR) is a key element of this policy, as the core TEN-T rail network is to be designed for high speeds. Since the effectiveness of HSR in achieving its objectives has been repeatedly criticized, it is difficult to justify the high cost of developing rail corridors for such speeds. The European Commission has therefore proposed a reduction in the minimum speeds for HSR in a revised proposal concerning the regulation defining the TEN-T network. In this paper, we apply the betweenness-accessibility methodology to model the contribution of each rail corridor in the European long-distance rail network to the accessibility by rail of EU metropolitan regions. After simulating the completion of the already defined TEN-T network which is to be completed by 2030, we simulate speed increases on all remaining corridors with speeds below 160 km/h up to this speed to evaluate the potential accessibility gains of these speed increases. A total of 13 corridors have been selected for the estimation of their upgrade costs, most of which are in Eastern Europe. The upgrade costs were compared with the potential accessibility gains to provide guidance on the most cost-effective way to improve rail accessibility on the European long-distance rail network.

Abstract: High-speed rail (HSR) is frequently seen as a promising alternative for long-distance travel by air and road, given its environmental advantages whilst offering a competitive level of service. However, a European HSR-network is yet to be realised, with the current state amounting to a patchwork of poorly connected subnetworks. Consequently, this results in a suboptimal performance from a user, operator and societal perspective. We present a customised version of the Transit Network Design and Frequency Setting Problem (TNDFSP) for the long-distance transport context and HSR in particular. We apply an adapted version of a heuristic solution approach to analyse the users’, operators’ and societal performance of a European HSR-network by conducting an extensive series of experiments to test the network’s performance under various policy priorities and HSR design variables. Our experiment results show that designs resulting from the consideration of externalities yield more extensive networks with larger coverage and modal shifts. For such networks to materialise, high public investments are needed. The obtained network designs contain four different line types, exhibit spatial disparities in network density, and allow for the identification of potential hubs and critical infrastructure. The strong network integration with overlapping and border-crossing lines of substantial lengths highlights the importance of cross-border cooperation and rail interoperability. We hope our findings will contribute to the ongoing public and professional debates on designing an attractive and competitive European HSR-network.

Abstract: Highlights: Presented an unique HSR typology based on operational characteristics more independently of infrastructure models. HSR operational system introduces a strongly differentiate connectivity between HSR European countries. Not only economic attributes generate strong connection by international services; also cultural ones. Infrastructural HSR spatial pattern is still designed for national services in Europe.

Abstract: This study examines carbon emissions from European land transportation, considering spatial autocorrelation patterns. Using global and local Moran's I indices, we find evidence of positive spatial autocorrelation in the panel data of 26 European countries from 1995 to 2019. To adequately analyze the factors influencing transport emissions, we then employ the spatial Durbin model and integrate transport-specific regression models, extending the classic STIRPAT model. The regression models include parameters such as transport intensities, modal splits between road and rail, and infrastructure density. Understanding spatial patterns in transport emissions provides valuable insights for policymakers in developing more effective emissions reduction strategies. Our results emphasize the importance of close European cooperation due to significant spatial dependencies, urging reductions in transport intensities and a shift from road to rail services. Additionally, we identify a non-linear relationship between infrastructure development and carbon emissions, suggesting the existence of 'sustainability sweet spots' in future infrastructure planning.

Abstract: We analyze the trade effects of a new unfolding transport infrastructure in connection with China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Using panel data for the years 1996–2018, featuring 27 exporting countries and 96 industries, we exploit variation in the timing and number of railway connections to estimate whether European countries benefit from increased export revenues and product variety of their shipments to China. We find that both increase and that also indirectly connected countries benefit. Using additional data on the mode of transport, we find that industries with intermediate time-sensitivity appear to increase their utilization of rail-freight to China the most and confirm that the overall increase in exports is also driven by these industries. We further show that mainly Central, Eastern and Southeast European regions are specialized in economic activities related to “railway adopting industries”, which makes likely to benefit the most from first-order gains of improved market access and export opportunities.

Abstract: According to EU directives, cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is adopted to assess the impacts of high-speed rail (HSR). CBA evaluates the effectiveness of such infrastructure, determining whether and to what extent the present benefits overcome the present opportunity costs. However, it fails to include equity issues, which are the key aspects of transport planning. After a general discussion of equity in HSR and its link with the concept of accessibility, this study describes some complementary methods to calculate the variation in equity. Four of them (i.e. the potential accessibility index, spatial rail equity index, Gini index, and coefficient of variation) were adopted to assess the equity impacts for the Italian municipalities along the Turin-Lyon HSR. The results of the analysis reveal that despite a generalised increase in overall accessibility, equity implications are more contradictory, with main localities gaining further benefits compared to medium- and small-sized municipalities. In particular, the latter register a further increase in peripheralization. However, since they account for 36% of the total surface but represent only approximately 1% of the total population, the overall balance for the population served by the infrastructure may be considered positive. These results are particularly useful in contexts where the acceptance of HSR is weak, as they allow policymakers to identify adequate compensation measures to reduce the gap and increase territorial cohesion.

Abstract: For Europe's urban agglomerations to be economically competitive, it is vital that international destinations be easily accessible. Although much has been invested in the construction of European rail infrastructure over the past century, passenger transport by rail has not grown as fast as transport by road and air. So why do people not use international trains more, even though they have an extensive international rail network at their disposal? Based on a series of in-depth interviews with relevant public and private stakeholders and two expert meetings, we identify the main bottlenecks and constraints. In order to understand the complexity of international rail transport, we have divided the existing bottlenecks into four groups corresponding to four layers of the rail transport system: mobility services, transport services, traffic services, and the physical and digital infrastructure. We formulate concrete policy recommendations for improvements to be made in the various components of the rail transport system.

Abstract: Existing studies of the impact of European rail reforms on efficiency have provided ambiguous findings. This paper uses an up-to-date dataset and many model specifications within various methods to provide more robust conclusions. The results suggest that a holding company model has some benefits over complete vertical separation in terms of efficiency, but these may be offset by lowered competition; separating freight and passenger transport increases efficiency. Competition in freight is beneficial, while competition in passenger transport depends on the level of competition. The benefits of competition can outweigh the costs of vertical separation when competition is more widespread.

Abstract: Highlights: Introduction of competition in the EU railway passenger market. The network infrastructure manager grants network capacity to railway operators. Service differentiation arises by distinguishing between peak and off-peak services. Operators compete by setting prices to capture demand. Trains’ frequency, fares and consumers’ utility strongly depend on the regulatory scheme.

Abstract: This paper reviews existing literature to identify issues, challenges, and best practices associated with shared-use freight and passenger rail corridors. Specifically, this paper will compare and contrast shared-corridor practices from an institutional perspective in the United States and the European Union. These two regions were chosen because of their shared social, political, technological, and economic ties, their historical mixes of private and state railroad operations, and because of the significant contemporary differences in the role of rail in these two regions. That mix of similarities and differences clarifies important commonalities specific to freight and passenger railroads that may be applicable in other times and places. Best practices include planning for: capital investment, long-term time horizons, measurable incremental improvements, regional multi-modality, and mutual benefits between freight and passenger operations.

Abstract: The process of European Union (EU) rail market liberalisation is now at a tipping point, with the fourth railway package approved by the European Parliament and Commission and the Member States that have to embed its mandates and provisions into their national legislation. To a large extent, this has already been achieved. The railway package is structured in two main pillars – market pillar and technical pillar – with specific objectives. My paper will focus on the market pillar, particularly on the new challenges that the liberalisation of the EU passenger rail market will generate on public service contracts in effect as of 2023. The establishment of the single European railway area requires common rules on the award of public service contracts in this sector, while taking into account the specific circumstances of each Member State. Public service contracts for public passenger transport services by rail should be awarded on the basis of a competitive tendering procedure. Procedures for competitive tendering of public service contracts should be open to all operators, should be fair and should respect the principles of transparency and non-discrimination. This paper will analyse the new legal challenges that public service contracts in railway transport will encounter and what their impact will be on the process of liberalisation or the EU passenger rail market.

Abstract: Climate change impacts such as extreme temperatures, snow and ice, flooding, and sea level rise posed significant threats to railway infrastructure networks. One of the important questions that infrastructure managers need to answer is, “How will maintenance costs be affected due to climate change in different climate change scenarios?” This paper proposes an approach to estimate the implication of climate change on the life cycle cost (LCC) of railways infrastructure assets. The proportional hazard model is employed to capture the dynamic effects of climate change on reliability parameters and LCC of railway assets. A use-case from a railway in North Sweden is analyzed to validate the proposed process using data collected over 18 years. The results have shown that precipitation, temperature, and humidity are significant weather factors in selected use-case. Furthermore, our analyses show that LCC under future climate scenarios will be about 11 % higher than LCC without climate impacts.

Abstract: Competitive passenger rail can help people access new or better jobs or bring new business opportunities. This paper studies the wider economic impacts on local unemployment of the liberalized passenger rail between Ostrava, the third-biggest city in the Czech Republic, and Prague, its capital. The local impacts are estimated at the LAU 1 level (administrative districts) using the event study and difference-in-differences method. The liberalization motivated the entry of two new private providers to compete with the public provider. The resulting competition in ticket prices, the number of connections, and service quality had a strong beneficial effect on labor market connectivity and business opportunities in connected districts. It significantly reduced unemployment in the districts along the rail line compared with the control districts. The effect, however, weakens with the level of urbanization of the treated district and with the distance from the rail. It could partly be transmitted through better skill matching on the back of higher inward and outward migration, higher firm entry and lower firm exit from the local market, as well as more business opportunities for self-employed entrepreneurs.

Abstract: This paper utilises a unique data set to study the scale and density properties of rail infrastructure maintenance, distinguishing between different technologies existing within national rail systems; namely, urban, high-speed, and regional lines. We find differences in the position and shapes of the alter native technologies, with returns to scale and density properties varying by network type. Such technology-disaggregated cost structure characteristics have not previously been derived in the literature, and have implications for track access charges and rail way maintenance organisation. Additionally, the widely used translog functional form is shown to be insufficiently flexible to deal with the different technologies under consideration.

Abstract: This article aims two EU member countries (i.e. Portugal and Germany) from different regions in Europe which have, for decades, been following common strategies regarding HSR development. The authors discuss the economic profitability vs. political aims, which were related to rail modernization. The text outlines the historic background of early railway construction, important milestones for a new level of rail planning in the 1980s and 1990s in both Portugal and Germany and delays in the realization of HSR projects, their rising costs, and the opposition of the public against the new lines. The experience of the countries under scope serves as an example for other EU members who have plans to take part in the Trans-European Transport Network.

Abstract: The article is devoted to issues related to the projects of construction of new high-speed rail (HSR) lines in Poland. The country, just like several other in Central and Eastern Europe, was going through a socioeconomic transformation period after 1990 and in its first phases, it had no conditions for construction of new HSR lines, but already in mid-1990s it reported aspirations for a further time perspective for modernisation of its own rail network by building new HSR lines. In years 2005–2008, the most mature and feasible project involving construction of new HSR line Warsaw – Łódź – Poznań/Wrocław (the Y HSR line for short) and modernisation of the Central Rail Line (CRL) was prepared and started. The project was the main subject of this article although its implementation was suspended in 2011 for a variety of reasons. In parallel to the initiative of the Baltic Countries of 2008, an international project for new HSR line Rail Baltica was born as a desire to build a new normal-track line connecting Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas, through Białystok and Warsaw, with Berlin, which Poland applied for, which is also discussed in the article. In 2017, there was a substantial change in Poland regarding the HSR construction projects as part of a new concept for construction of a Solidarity Transport Hub (STH) near Warsaw. The concept did not enter the implementation phase by the end of 2021 and its basic principles and the critical remarks addressed to it have been presented in this article. However, the substantial part of this article was devoted to the discussion of the expected transport effects of the construction of HSR line Warszawa – Łódź – Poznań/Wrocław and the modernisation of the Central Rail Line as well as the potential socioeconomic effects that may arise in connection with its implementation, still treating it as the core project for changing the arrangement of the Polish rail network.

Abstract: This paper investigates the productive efficiency of French regional rail operators. Benefiting from unique databases, we use a panel stochastic frontier model to measure and explain the productive efficiency. We consider the regional monopoly nature of these operators by introducing specific contract-related variables. Technical efficiency level ranges from 59 to 98 per cent, revealing a high degree of heterogeneity in productive performance between regional operators. Factors related to the societal environment, characteristics of the rail system and contractual design are significantly correlated with the technical efficiency. Policy implications of these results are substantial for both public authorities and rail operators.

Abstract: Im Zuge der politisch und gesellschaftlich propagierten "Verkehrs- und Klimawende" wird der Stärkung des Schienenverkehrs in Deutschland eine zunehmend wichtigere Rolle beigemessen. Mit der Coronakrise ist die Klimadebatte zwar zwischenzeitlich etwas aus den Schlagzeilen verschwunden; es ist jedoch davon auszugehen, dass sie spätestens nach dem Ende der Pandemie mit zunehmender Intensität fortgeführt werden und auch in der Verkehrspolitik zu entsprechenden Weichenstellungen führen wird.

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