The European Commission has said it is ‘aiming to improve the rail infrastructure productivity’ by reducing operating costs to make ‘rail freight more competitive.’
The ‘MARATHON’ project ‘recognises the need for creating a cost-efficient and highly productive’ rail freight market as a ‘central pillar’ for sustainable mobility.
Focusing on existing infrastructure rather than investing in new will help the project ‘realise this ambition.’
The report says that due to the industry’s past ‘fragmentation’, the European railway system’s efficiency must be ‘conquered’ through the standardisation of the EU Rail Freight operating rules.
The European Commission say this improvement is ‘fundamental’ and that the current rail infrastructure is ‘constrained.’ The project wants to increase the length of trains as well as their speed and weight.
Combining intermodal transport with other ‘directional traffic’ between large scale terminals, hubs and ports is expected to ‘generate the critical mass of advanced freight rail services’ based on transport ‘industrialisation produced at lower costs.’
Through the adoption of innovative hardware and software and radio communication technologies, the MARATHON project wants to set an example for freight operators aiming at implementing these longer, faster and heavier trains.
