Europe’s Rail Freeways Stalled

PARIS — The European Union’s plan to shift inter-European freight from road to rail by developing so-called "rail freight freeways" has failed to leave the station because of resistance from the railways, according to Julia Clarke, director of the British Rail Freight Group.

"The Trans European Rail Freight Freeway concept is a great idea that nearly worked," said Clarke in a speech late last year at the Adam Smith Institute. "Greed, mutual distrust and institutional rigidity are currently preventing the idea delivering any real benefits."

The TERFF concept, announced two years ago by EU Transport Commissioner, Neil Kinnock, involves designating a limited number of international rail routes that can be used by any of Europe's national railways. Under the plan, the national railways along the international route get together to come up with a single charge for use of the track and a train schedule.

So far, not a single freeway is operating, despite intense pressure from the EU to get the plan rolling.

"The freeway concept is certainly not dead," said Lord Tony Berkley, chairman of RFG, which is a key supporter of a Britain-Hungary freeway. "But it is taking a damn long time to get here."

According to Berkley, the national railways involved in the Britain-Hungary freeway are expected to announce a price for the service by the end of January, which would put the group well ahead of other freeway planners in Europe.

"If the price they charge is realistic, we will find the traffic," he said. "But if they charge what they do for other traffic, it probably won’t work."

The frustration is palpable among rail freight supporters over the railways lack of response to what many believe is their last chance to regain market share from trucking.

In response to a question from a rail executive after her speech, Clarke criticized the railways for complacency and failure to realize that without taking action "they will continue to decline into irrelevance."

The RFG remains optimistic, however, that the freeway concept will eventually break down the bureaucratic resistance to change among Europe’s state-owned railways.

"Even the discussions we are having to develop a price for the service is forcing the railways to become more responsive to customer needs," Berkely said. "I think it will happen. When the first train will run, I don’t know. But it will happen."